


Standing With You

by peggyrogers



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Civil War, F/M, Fluff, Love, buckynat foreshadowing, peggynat brotp, steggy au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-07
Updated: 2017-01-26
Packaged: 2018-06-07 00:46:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 64,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6777985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peggyrogers/pseuds/peggyrogers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The avengers are divided, a civil war is breaking out. Steve is not alone. He has Peggy. Married. Now parents. A war is not what they wanted. But it's what they've got.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**LAGOS. 2016.**

Wanda Maximoff stirred her cup of coffee as she sat at a table of an outside cafe. Was she having a relaxing day out in Lagos? No. Of course not. She was an Avenger now. She was working.

_ “What’re you see?”  _ Steve Rogers said over ear piece as he stood in an abandoned apartment across the way, looking out of the window, trying to get as much insight to their enemy’s whereabouts as possible. 

“Standard beat cops. Small station. Quiet street” she reported, then adding on “A good target”

As Steve kept his eyes peeled to outside the window he answered back “ATM’s at the south corner which means…”

“Cameras” Wanda finished for him. 

_ “Both cross to one way”  _

“So compromised escape routes”

“Means our guy’s doesn’t care bout being seen and isn’t afraid to make a mess on the way out” Steve then spotted something “See that Range Rover coming from round the block?” 

Then hearing a different voice “The red one? It’s cute” Peggy Carter said as she sat on the table behind Wanda, a cup of tea in her hand. With her faithful companion sitting across the way from her as _she_ said “Bulletproof which means private security which means more guns which means more headaches for somebody, probably us” Natasha Romanoff dryly teased as she took a sip of her coffee, looking to Peggy through her sunglasses and seeing the amused subtle smirk appear on her face.

“You guys know I can move things with my mind right?” Wanda gloated. 

“How could we forget? You remind us every five minutes” Peggy muttered with a teasing grin. 

“Looking over your shoulder also needs to become second nature” The red headed assassin added on. 

_ “Anybody ever tell you, you’re a little paranoid?”  _ Sam Wilson asked over ear piece as he stood on a rooftop, waiting for his orders from Steve.

“Not to my face, why? Did you hear something?” Natasha asked, Peggy couldn’t help but let a giggle escape her mouth as she kicked Natasha from under the table.

_ “Would you two knock it off? All I can hear is the pair of you goofing around and giggling”  _ Steve muttered.

Peggy sat back in her chair “Don’t get jealous, love”

“Yeah, although Rogers you should know, your wife sure loves playing footsies” 

Steve sighed but secretly let out a very brief amused smile before saying “Yeah. Believe me I know. You should’ve seen her back in forty four” he then shook his head as he realised that Natasha had sucked  _ him _ out of focus now “Eyes on target, folks” 

As Steve added something else on, Peggy and Natasha just raised their eyebrows to each other and carried on drinking their tea.

_ “If he see’s us coming that won’t be a problem, he kinda hates us”  _ Sam stated.

It then went silent on Steve’s half. Peggy sat forward in her chair “Steve? You’re being oddly quiet. What do you see?” 

_ “Garbage truck heading north. Looks shifty. Sam tag it”  _

Sam did as he was told and sent out his little red winged assistant and sent it to attach itself to the garbage truck. Once he got the intel, he informed the others “Trucks loaded for maximum weight. The driver’s armed” 

Okay. Things just got serious.  _ Really  _ serious that is. 

“It’s a battering round” Natasha muttered. 

_ “Go now”  _ Steve ordered.

“Where?” Wanda questioned. 

_ He's not hitting the police”  _

The three women rose from their seats and each went a separate way. The garbage truck crashed into the  _ Institute For Infectious Diseases _ facility. That’s where they pinpointed to go. Whilst Wanda joined Sam and Steve. Peggy and Natasha found a truck full of Brock Rumlow’s fellow  _ work colleagues _ . 

_ “Rumlow has a biological weapon”  _ Steve stated.

“We’re on it” Peggy answered back to him as her arms remained wrapped around Natasha’s waist as she drove the motorcycle towards the truck. 

“Ready?” Natasha asked.

“I won’t let go” Peggy nodded.

Natasha glanced to her and smirked “Alright  _ Rose _ ” she then looked forward and leaned backwards as the bike turned to the side, skidding it down across the floor and hitting the men in front of them. The pair quickly got onto their feet and began to take down the men one by one. For them, this was no problem. They had, had harder days pinning Steve down to the floor in training than the effort these guys were putting in. 

Natasha jumped up on the bonnet of the car and sent an electrocution from her widow bites to the man in front of her. With Peggy's back turned, she then heard Natasha let out a stressful groan which made her spin around. Finding Rumlow gripping onto the scruff of Natasha’s jacket collar and dragging her up the car to the roof. Refusing to let go of her. Seeing him grip her hair just made Peggy even more pissed. Peggy jumped to a gun and took a fair few shots as Natasha sent volts into his neck. 

“I don’t work like that no more!” Rumlow snarled to them both. Then throwing Natasha down into the truck and pulling off the tag from a grenade “Fire in the hole”

“Nat! Get out of there!” Peggy yelled in a plea. She could have fought Rumlow herself, but she was too concerned about her friend having the chances of being blown up if she didn’t kick those guys asses that were in the van with her in time. Rumlow didn’t even seem bothered, however, he did get his kicks by running over to her and gripping tightly to her hair in order to make her feel helpless in helping Natasha. Peggy went to fight him off but he soon let go by throwing her back, he just laughed and shook his head “It’s your husband I want”

Peggy glared at him as she stood up straight, then hearing the grenades clicking get louder and louder “Natasha!” she took a step to run over when the grenade went off. Luckily, Natasha made it out just as it exploded. Natasha lay on the floor for a moment as she coughed her guts out. Peggy ran over and knelt down beside her. Placing her hand on the back of her head as she ducked hers down to try and get eye contact “You alright?” 

Natasha nodded and held up her finger as she got on her hands and knees “Give me a minute” she then brought her upper body up and just rested on her knees as she took deep breaths, then looking to Peggy “Didn’t know you cared so much” 

Peggy let out a breathless laugh and pulled Natasha up by the arm as she stood up “Come on” Peggy started to walk and added “Quit dawdling”

“I almost exploded” Natasha said as she caught up with her.  

“You’ve been through worse” Their heads then snapped up to the glass shattering noise and seeing Steve fall down, getting hit a few times as well before clashing hard with the ground. Peggy took a step forward to go after him, but a step forward is as far as she got before Natasha grabbed her arm and said “We have to try and clear the people” 

Natasha looked up and nodded “He’s fine. Come on, we have to do our jobs here” 

As much as Peggy wanted to argue with her. Natasha was right. It was a rarity in their relationship but it can happen. Like right now for example. 

Rumlow crashed his truck into a local market place which was full of civilians. Sending two of his henchmen with the dangerous vial to go and try to escape with it. But Peggy and Natasha had them tailed. 

“I’ll get the two on the left” Natasha stated as she began to make her way towards them.

“Well. I’ll go right then” Peggy nodded as she then made her way towards her targets. Peggy looked up when the sight of an explosion came from just behind her. But she didn’t stop. She carried on running, despite the fact that her husband was just hit in the back by a heavy metal fist which sent him flying. 

Steve looked up to Rumlow as he heard him say “There you are you son of a bitch. I’ve been waiting for this!” as Steve stood up, Rumlow swung another punch with one of his metal contraptions which sent him flying once again. Crashing into tables.  

_ “Steve?”  _ Peggy raised her concern over the ear piece as she took a turn to follow Natasha after Sam had gotten to her targets first and revealed they had nothing. 

“Better not to ask” Steve grumbled, he shook his head and cleared his throat. Realising that is not something his  _ wife  _ wants to really hear “I’m fine. Just focus on getting that vial” 

Peggy sighed and shook her head as she muttered under her breath “Always needing to be the bloody hero” which was fine. Except when it involves him getting himself killed. When Peggy caught up with Natasha, she saw that her back was turned and a man had a gun pointed at her back, Peggy wasted no time. She ran up behind him, wrapped her legs around his neck and flung him backwards onto the ground. Peggy grabbed a gun, Natasha pulled hers from the one attached to her hip. They stood closely together and pointed their guns at the two men. One having his gun at them and the other holding the vial in his hand. 

“Drop them” the man with the vial ordered “Or I’ll drop this” 

Peggy kept her gun aimed at him with the same stern look on her face. He raised his eyebrows to her “Drop them!”

“He’ll do it!” The other man yelled. 

Then, Sam’s red winged helper  _ thing _ hovered behind the man with the vial and took a shot into his neck. Giving Natasha the chance to shoot down the other man as Peggy leaped forward and grabbed hold of the vial before it smashed on the ground. 

Peggy walked back to Natasha as she looked to the robotic hovercraft and nodded “Vial secure”

“Thank you Sam” Natasha added.

_ “Don’t thank me”  _

Peggy and Natasha shook their heads and said in unison “No” 

Natasha then added “I am not thanking that thing”

_ “His name is red wing” _

“We’re still not thanking that thing” Peggy shook her head as she placed her hands on her hips. 

_ “He’s cute, go ahead, pet him”  _

“Jesus Sam” Peggy laughed breathlessly “We don’t have time to pet your robot” she then began to walk away as she handed the vial to Natasha and said “I’ve got to make sure that Natasha is still the _only_ widow in this group”

* * *

 

Peggy ran ahead and saw Rumlow holding Steve up against a wall. Steve looked over his shoulder and yelled to her “Stay there!” 

He would not let her get involved, not this time. Rumlow was too much for even Steve to handle at times. Steve pushed Rumlow back and ripped off one of his metal fists. Rumlow quickly drew out his other blade and swung for Steve, which made Peggy’s heart jump. Steve ducked under and kick Rumlow back, causing him to crash into tables and fall on the floor. Rumlow got up on his knees, facing Peggy as she stood to the side, in front of the civilians to keep them back. She would not let him hurt them.

Peggy watched as Rumlow removed his helmet. Revealing his flesh burn across his face. Steve walked over and gripped onto Rumlow’s collar before throwing him back down. 

“I think it looks pretty good all things considered” Rumlow remarked with a smirk. 

Steve soon lost his patience and slapped his hand on Rumlows arm “Who’s your buyer?” 

Rumlow stared at him for a moment and sighed out with a smug smile “He remembered you” Peggy soon felt a lump grow in her throat, her eyes went to Steve. Only seeing the back of his head she knew what his expression would be like. 

“Your pal your buddy, your  _ Bucky _ ”

Steve grabbed onto Rumlow’s uniform. 

"What did you say?"

Peggy rushed over to him and put her hand on his arm as she muttered his name in aid to try and keep him calm. But Rumlow didn’t stop. 

“He remembered you” Peggy’s eyes shifted to Rumlow as her emotions were now getting the best of her. Not just because she felt guilty about not being able to rescue Bucky, but because she knew how much this would be cutting Steve up. 

“I was there...he got all weepy about it...till they put his brain back in a blender”

“That’s enough” Peggy snapped. 

Rumlow ignored her “He wanted you to know something...he said to me  _ please tell Rogers, when you gotta go. You gotta go _ ” 

Peggy bowed her head down for a moment, with her hand still on Steve’s arm she took her eyes to him, trying to get an insight on what was going through his mind. 

“And now. You two can go together...with  _ me _ ”

The pair looked down and saw the bomb activator resting in Rumlow’s hand. Steve snapped out of his thoughts and gripped to Peggy’s waist as he leaped back. The bomb went off but was contained by Wanda stepping in and using her powers to fight against him. With her control, she picked Rumlow up and threw him in the air. Unintentionally throwing him into a building....that was filled with people. The building set on fire. 

“Oh god” Peggy whispered to herself. With her hand still clutched with Steve’s  

“Sam...we...we need...fire and rescue at the south side of the building” Steve slowly took his hand out of Peggy’s and ran to help. Peggy stood there for a moment before preparing herself to help, but her attention was caught by someone else. Her head turned to Wanda and saw the horror in her eyes on what she had done. Peggy walked over to her and knelt down beside her as the young girl fell to her knees. Peggy glanced to the building and then said “Wanda…”

“What have I done?” She cried in a whisper. 

“You didn’t mean to Wanda. It was an accident”

“But look!” Wanda cried in a louder voice as she pointed to the building “All those people” 

Peggy put her arms around Wanda’s body and picked her up off of the ground “Come on, I’m getting you back to the plane”

“I have to help”

“Please, Wanda, just get back to the plane, you’re in no emotional state to handle this” 

Wanda knew Peggy was right, and therefore did not try to argue against her. Natasha and Sam already had things covered by helping Steve and the paramedics. Steve looked up when he saw Peggy holding the young girl in her arms and nodded to her, letting her know that it was okay to get Wanda out of here. In fact that was the best idea, he didn’t want her seeing this just as much as Peggy.

* * *

 

Wanda was silent on the plane. Peggy went over to her belongings and slipped her engagement and wedding ring back on her finger. She cracked her back and gripped to her back of her neck as she loosened up. Then looking over and seeing Wanda sitting on her leather passenger chair with her knees up to her chest, resting her head on top of them. Peggy shut her box of things and walked over to her, she sat facing her and just stared at her for a moment before looking down at her hands and saying “You know...when Steve and I were back in the war. We were in a fight with this man who worked for Hydra. A fight right in the middle of a public street. Five people were killed. From the gunshots and from the crashing cars”

Wanda said nothing and just looked at her. Knowing that wouldn’t be the end of the story. Peggy then sighed and shook her head as she rested it against the wall of the plane “And one of those gun shots could have been mine. I certainly know I caused one of the cars to crash. You know what I did?”

Wanda shook her head and weakly asked “What?”

“I cried” 

Wanda raised her eyebrows and lifted her head as she wiped away the stray tear that ran down her cheek. Peggy nodded “I cried, Which was rare, it took Steve to calm me down and tell me that it wasn’t either of our fault, and that all we were doing was trying to stop the  _ bad guys _ , sometimes people are just caught in the crossfire, which is never an easy thing to comprehend but everything we do is to protect the people, which I know is confusing to wrap your head around” Peggy lightly laughed as she looked down to her hands again. 

“It took Steve to make you feel better” Wanda muttered. 

Peggy looked up “Hm?”

“It took Steve to make you feel better...and it took Pietro to make  _ me  _ feel better”

Peggy then sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. Of course. Why didn’t she think of that. Peggy leaned forward and rested her hand on Wanda’s knee “I know...and hopefully with some time, you’ll let us make you feel better when bad things happen”  

Wanda let out a small, yet still _broken_ smile. She then looked down to Peggy’s wedding ring and asked “How long have you and Steve been together?”

“Seventy two years” Peggy muttered with a smirk, she then leaned back as Wanda let out a brief amused huff through her nose. Peggy twisted her ring around her finger “In _this_ day in age, six years” 

Wanda wanted to distract herself, she began by asking Peggy questions she never quite had answered “Steve was frozen...but how did you?...”

“Get here?” 

Wanda nodded.

“Howard, Tony’s father was an inventor just like he is as I’m sure you are aware. One day he came to my house and told me he was onto something big, now he never quite had the chance to explain to me what it was exactly, he wanted to show me first. But whatever he made sucked me in and as...odd as it sounds it sent me through time. I was pulled to late 2009. Just a couple of months before Steve was found, I  _ landed  _ in a SHIELD facility. Natasha found me and knew who I was so she brought me in” 

Wanda nodded “You were there for his awakening?”

“I was there when he ran through New York as he tried to recapture the great escape” Peggy laughed.

* * *

 

_ Steve stopped in the middle of Times Square, turning and turning as he stared at this futuristic world that he did not understand.  _

_ “At ease soldier” Nick Fury said behind him, Steve turned and saw Nick walk from his car. With Peggy Carter sitting in the back seat, waiting for the right time to get out. She was still so nervous to see him. She had to live two years without him back in the forties, and only a few months in this modern world. But still, it was long enough to make her heart flutter through thinking he was dead.  _

_ “I’m sorry bout that little show back there but...we thought it best to break it to you slowly”  _

_ Nick also decided Peggy should hang back for a moment. Just so he could make sure Steve was aware of who Nick was so there was basic authority grounds handled. Peggy didn’t like his reasons, but she didn’t argue either. _

_ “Break what?” Steve asked. _

_ “You’ve been asleep Cap, for almost seventy years” _

_ Peggy took a deep breath, she opened the car door and stepped out, just as he turned around.  _

_ ‘Damn it, Steve’ she said in her mind as she shut the door. Peggy slowly walked over as she heard Nick ask “You gonna be okay?” _

_ Steve took a moment and nodded “Yeah...yeah I just...I had a date” _

_ Peggy let out warm, wide smile and finally spoke up  as she took a step in front of Nick “You still do” _

_ Steve didn’t know if he was imagining her voice at first. But it felt so real. He turned. And there she was. Standing in front of him clear as day, his breath hitched as he looked at her up and down, wearing the same uniforms that the redhead who was stood by the car was wearing. Natasha was there for moral support to Peggy. They had grown close over these months.  _

_ Steve didn’t know what to say other than her name “Peggy?” _

_ Peggy smiled and walked over to him “Hello, stranger” with her hands tucked in her jacket pockets, she took on out and ran her fingers through the side of his hair “It’s been a while”  _

_ “P-Peg” a breathless smile appeared on his face. Her smile widened as she dropped her hand and kept her eyes on him, his eyebrows then knitted together as he shook his head “But...but how...you...what’s” _

_ “Don’t worry about that right now” Peggy said as she took her other hand out of her pocket and placed them on his arms “I’ll explain everything soon just...just come here” she finished her sentence with a whisper and pulled him in for a tight embrace, one she had been craving for years.  _

_ Steve tightened his arms around her body, for him, it’s like she never went away. But the last time he spoke to her he was saying his final goodbye. And now, he was given a chance to re-do all of this the right way.  _

_ Steve pulled his head back whilst still holding to her and took a deep breath as he smiled “How long has it been? For you?” _

_ “Technically. Seventy” she laughed lightly “But um, in my head it’s been three and a half years”  _

_ “God I’m so sorry” _

_ “Steve, with all due respect, shut up” Peggy whispered as she lightly pressed her lips against his, then putting her hand on the back of his head and putting it on her shoulder as she hugged him tightly once again. _

* * *

 

Peggy couldn’t help but smile as she looked to her palms rubbing together, reliving the memory “We got engaged ten months after that, and married five months after that” 

She looked up and noticed how Wanda’s body and facial expression had calmed, she had become less tense. Her expression formed into a light smile, Peggy returned the same expression and nodded before standing up and looking out of the window. She gripped onto her necklace that had Steve’s army tag attached to it and muttered to herself “Come on, Steve, come on” 

A message on the computer screen then appeared in the corner of Peggy’s eye, she turned her head and saw  _ SHARON CARTER REQUEST VIDEO CALL.  _

Peggy glanced out the window once more and looked to Wanda, who had chosen to grab hold of her ipod and escape in her music. Peggy sighed and sat down in front of the computer and accepted. The screen changed to her smiling great niece waving to the camera _ “Hey Peg” _

“Hi Sharon” Peggy said with an exhausted smile.

_ “Rough day?” _

“You could say that” 

_ “Fancy seeing the face that will brighten up your day?”  _

Peggy smiled with warmth and nodded “How is he?”

As Sharon walked through the house, she shrugged and then nodded _ “He seems good today” _

“Good” Peggy said with a sigh of relief. Sharon walked up the stairs and opened the door, she watched as Sharon smiled kindly “Hey Gramps. Got someone here to see you” 

Sharon placed the camera on the bed table and faced Peggy to her brother, Peggy leaned forward and smiled “Hello you” 

Michael took his shaky hand and grabbed his big glasses, he struggled as he sat up in his bed and looked at her, a beaming smile soon appeared to his face  _ “Peggy” _

“How is my lovely big brother?”

_ “Well. I’m still breathing”  _ Michael laughed. Funny. Ninety six years old and he still has that morbid humor that all elderly people tend to carry. You would have thought it would bore him by now. But no, he still gets a kick out of it. 

“I should think so. If you don’t live forever I am going to be pissed” Peggy laughed.

Michael let out a chuckle and then died his laughter down  _ “How is it over there? Knocking down Hitler?”  _

Peggy face dropped, she had hoped this was the day where he didn’t think that he was speaking to her back in the war. Michael was so confused that his mind made him believe that he was speaking to Peggy as if she was back in 1943, as if she was still fighting off the bad guys with ancient tick tock grenades and big rickety tanks. It was something he thought often, and Peggy ended up just going along with it because it was too hard for him to comprehend and it was also hard for her to go through, because he would get so upset from his mind being so jumbled. 

“Of course I am”

_ “I miss those days” _

“I bet” Peggy said with a small smile “I miss you Michael”

_ “I’d be there right alongside you if I could, Peggy” _

“I know” Peggy said softly. She looked down at her wedding ring and took a deep breath. Michael doesn’t know about Steve. Michael doesn’t know anything about her family life. She’s told him, multiple times but he always forgets. Now, when she mentions him. Michael acts as if he knows what she’s talking about even though he hasn’t got a clue. And she knows that.

_ “What are you doing now?” _

“I’m just waiting for Steve to come back”

_ “Steve?”  _

Peggy raised her eyebrows with a soft smile “Yeah Steve, my husband, I’ve told you about him” 

_ “Husband. Right”  _ he softly chuckled  _ “My little sister...married”  _

Peggy smiled and nodded “Yeah, Mike”

All of a sudden, Michael began to cough terribly. Peggy’s face frowned as tears formed in his eyes and mumbled with a cry “Michael…” 

Sharon shifted the camera off of Michael and pointed it back on her, she sighed and glanced to Michael as she shook her head _ “Peg, I’m sorry I gotta go. The nurses will be rushing in now to give him medication”  _

“It’s fine. It’s fine...just erm...just keep me updated, okay?”

_ “Of course, talk soon”  _

The camera cut off. Peggy let out a sigh as she sat back in her chair and rubbed her face with the palm of her hands. Sharon had been over in London for just a few days, visiting her mother and Michael, she was staying with him. He lives in one of those residential buildings where nurses come at the press of a button. She also was over there for work but family came first to her. A big part of Peggy wished that she could go and take care of him. He is her brother after all. 

And he was getting worse, his memory, he was catching colds all the time and was no good on his feet. All he could do was just lie in that bed of his and listen to the radio, read or watch tv. Getting up and cooking in the kitchen like he used to do was way out of the question, especially since his fall last year. Broken arm and two broken ribs suggested that he couldn’t move around properly by himself anymore. 

But he was well looked after, he was in safe hands. Which is more she can say for her husband. 

Peggy, whilst waiting, messaged home. 

**AV JET 3 - MISSION REPORT, V.**

_**AVENGERS HOME BASE TYPING…** _

**AV HOME BASE - SUBJECT IS FAST ASLEEP.**

Peggy let out a smile and nodded as she typed back 

**AV JET 3 - GOOD TO HEAR. I’LL UPDATE YOU WHEN WE ARE ON OUR WAY BACK.**

**AV HOME BASE - SPLENDID**

Peggy sat back in her chair as she cocked an eyebrow ‘Splendid’ well if that wasn’t her Edwin Jarvis. The banging footsteps of the three team mates came into the jet. Peggy shot up from her chair and quickly made her way over to Steve, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. Steve tightened his arms around her waist and buried his face in her neck. He pressed his lips against her shoulder and then cupped her face as he looked back to her and whispered what he always whispers to her when reuniting “Hey, baby” 

“Hi” she whispered back with a small smile. Peggy rubbed her lips together and took a small step back “You are back earlier than I thought, I was just debating on coming back out”

Natasha then spoke up as she put her hand on Wanda’s shoulder “Yeah well they...kind of wanted us out of there”

Steve then whispered into Peggy’s ear to prevent Wanda from hearing “They said we’ve done enough damage” 

Peggy sighed and shot him a glance which just said how sorry she felt for Wanda. The poor girl felt guilty enough she didn’t need the whole country adding to that. But then again, the country didn’t know it was an accident. For all they knew, Wanda wanted to get rid of a problem and she did, the news would plaster this one way.  _ Reckless behaviour _ . Which wasn’t fair. 

Steve walked over to Wanda and gave her a soft smile “You did good today, Wanda. Don’t doubt yourself, accidents happen”

Wanda said nothing, she just nodded and looked away. Steve let out a defeated sigh that he was getting no real reaction from her and just looked to Peggy. Peggy tilted her head to him and extended her arm out, wiggling her fingers for him to come over. Steve let out a small smile and walked over to her, entwining their fingers together, he kissed the top of her head and then nuzzled his forehead against hers and muttered “And you? Are you okay?” 

“I’m fine. I should actually be asking you that question”

Sam then spoke up before Steve had the chance of speaking “Alright guys, buckle up, ready to take off” 

Steve and Peggy looked to each other as they sat down on the double seating, they strapped themselves in, Peggy rested her chin on his shoulder “So?”

Steve sighed and shook his head as he looked down at his hands “It shook me” 

Peggy sighed and dropped her head to press her temple against his shoulder as she rubbed his arm “Listen...you don’t know if...if what Rumlow said was really true. I mean. What if he was just saying it to get a reaction out of you?” she then looked up at him.

“You’re right. That could have been the case. But Peggy, did you ever think about the fact we tell ourselves that to try and shield ourselves from the truth, you and I can spot a liar from a mile off from the interrogations we’ve carried on in the past, Rumlow didn’t look like he was lying to me” 

Peggy just sighed, she didn’t answer or comment, Peggy rubbed his chest before placing her hand on his cheek and pulling his head towards her, she kissed his cheek and whispered “I love you” 

With her hand still resting on the crook his neck, Steve lifted his head and kissed her nose before whispering “I love you too” 

Steve threw his arm over her shoulder and pulled her close, Peggy rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes. Then hearing him say “How’s things back at home?”

“I checked in with Vision. Little one is fast asleep” 

Well, that news brought a smile to his face. Steve rubbed their attached hands together “Good. Feels like we’ve been away for weeks” 

“I know, I feel that way too”

Steve and Peggy had a two year old baby girl. Grace was perfect in everyway. She had Peggy's warm brown eyes but had Steve's blonde soft hair. She was one when the fight against Ultron began, Peggy decided to stay out of that fight. Which was hard, she had never left Steve in a fight before. But someone needed to take care of their daughter and she had the utmost faith in him that he would return. And of course, he did. Peggy could afford to stay out of that one. And in return, their  _ family  _ grew. _Jarvis_ now had a body, even though Vision says he is not just Jarvis but still, Stark’s faithful assistant was in there somewhere and that made him trustworthy, like looking after Grace when needed. Such as these last couple of days, Steve and Peggy try not to go on that many missions anymore, they want to focus on being a family and even agreed that in a couple of years, they would take a leaf out of Clint’s book and retire when Grace will be old enough to go to school. But for now. They were good. Everything was stable and they were happy. 

For now that is. 


	2. Chapter 2

A normal plane would get you to Nigeria from America is round about twelve hours. But their jet got them home in nine. As trained pilots, Natasha and Sam took turns in flying as Steve and Peggy slept leaning against each other. Wanda tried to sleep but she just couldn’t. She had too much on her mind. No doubt there will be repercussions from what happened. 

Natasha landed the jet safely on the ground, it was mid afternoon by the time they got back. But quite frankly, all Peggy wanted was to get out of this damn uniform and get into something snug whilst cuddling Steve on the couch with Grace resting on his lap. 

They made their way up to the home facility which was a separate building at the back. Peggy walked into the living room to find Vision sat on the couch, with his sweater and pants on, trying to look as human as possible whilst reading the newspaper. With Grace sat next to him, looking as adorable as ever as she was trying to climb on him to read what he was reading. Vision had the patience of a saint. 

Grace looked up and saw her mother and father stood at the other side of the room watching her. A wide excited smile appeared on her face “Mama! Daddy!” 

The pair both let out a grin to the little girl, then seeing how she tried to get down from the couch herself, Vision picked her up and gently placed her down on the floor. Peggy and Steve crouched down as they watched Grace made a steady walk towards them. Peggy held out her arms and scooped her daughter up as she wrapped her arms around her. They both stood up and kissed a cheek each. 

“Mommy, daddy, you been gone” Grace muttered, putting on a pouting face as she placed her hand on Steve’s mouth. He smiled and teased her by pretending to bite it which made her giggle and quickly pull it away. 

“I know mommy and daddy had to go away for a little while” Peggy said as she nuzzled her forehead against her daughters.

“Work” Grace clarified. 

“Yeah work” Steve nodded as he lightly tickled Grace’s stomach. Peggy kissed the two year olds temple and asked “Did you have a nice time with _ Uncle Vision _ ? ” Grace had the habit of calling the team either Auntie or Uncle. It was pretty adorable. Natasha especially loved being  _ Auntie Nat  _ or as Grace calls her  _ Auntie Net.  _

Grace, with her fist at her mouth nodded and said “I coloured” 

When a parent, you have to make everything sound exciting. That everything a child does is the greatest thing they have ever seen, and to them at times it is. Like when she began to walk or when she would learn a new word and give an animal the right name. 

They both did the usual excited gasps “You did!” Peggy smiled. 

Grace nodded with an excited smile written across her face. Peggy lowered her down on her own to feet as Steve said “Go get it for us, honey”

As Grace raced over to the coffee table to get the piece of paper that was buried under the crayons. Vision stood up and asked “How did it go?”

Steve and Peggy let out a small sigh and glanced to each other. Steve looked back to him and nodded “Rumlow is no longer a problem, we retrieved the vial...but...Wanda she…

“Is she alright?” Vision asked in a worried tone. 

“Physically yes” Peggy nodded, she then rubbed her lips together and then shook her head “But she, she’s the one who got rid of Rumlow but....it caused her to set a building on fire and there were casualties... _ deaths... _ it was an accident but she’s really beating herself up about it” 

“Oh dear” Vision mumbled as he looked down to the floor. 

The two year old then quickly made her return to them with the paper in her hand. It was then Steve who picked her up. Peggy put her hand on the androids arm and said in a gentle tone “She'll need to see you, you always know what to say” 

Vision nodded and asked “Where is she?” 

As Steve lightly took the paper out of Grace’s hand, he nodded his head down the hall and said “Her bedroom I presume”

Vision gave another nod to them and looked to Grace “It has been a pleasure, Grace” 

Grace just giggled. Probably not really getting what the hell he was saying, Vision laid on a soft smile and then dismissed himself to go and see Wanda. Grace lightly slapped Steve’s shoulder “Daddy look”

“Sorry” He laughed, Steve lifted the paper up for she and Peggy to see. What was it? No idea. It could be described as a potato with ears. With stick arms and legs and two dots for eyes. But still, they looked impressed. 

“Wow” they both muttered in unison. 

“Toy story” Grace clapped her hands.

“Oh” they again said in unison, now understanding. 

“Mr Potato head” Peggy nodded with a smile, but Grace shook her head “Space” 

Steve let out an amused expression as he looked to Peggy and muttered “It’s supposed to be Buzz”

Peggy raised her eyebrows and said “Oh” in a more confused/surprised tone which got a laugh out of Steve. Well, it explains the _purple_ outline.

* * *

 

It had been a long and hard day. Everyone was in bed early. Steve and Peggy put Grace to sleep in her bedroom which was just next door to theirs and then went into their own. 

It looked like Grace was down for the night, she always was a good sleeper. And Nat would certainly sleep tonight with all the piggy backs she was forced to give, and some weren’t even from Grace...Peggy felt left out. 

Steve sat on the foot of the bed in his white vest and navy blue pyjama pants. Peggy walked out of the bathroom, in her white pyjama shorts and the Captain America shield shirt that Nat had bought her as a joke, but it was very comfy and plus she really liked it. 

Peggy tilted her head with her hands on her hips as she looked at him, he seemed distracted again. She sighed and walked over to him, placing her hands on his shoulders, Peggy then placed her hands on his cheeks and leaned down, kissing him softly. 

Steve’s hands pressed against her back to bring her body closer. Their tongues swiftly brushed against each other before Peggy pulled away and whispered “Don’t let this haunt you” 

“I gotta find him, Peg” 

Peggy sat on his lap sidewards and wrapped her arms loosely around his neck as their heads pressed together “We will. Just give it time” she whispered before lightly kissing his head and then proceeded on stroking his hair “We’ll figure this out, I promise” 

Peggy pulled her head back and looked into his eyes, giving him a reassuring smile “You’ve still got me” 

“Good” Steve smiled “Cause this would’ve been hell without you” 

Peggy shook her head as she put her hand back on his cheek and whispered as she moved her lips closer to his “You don’t have to worry about that” 

Their soft kiss turned more hot. Steve leaned back on the bed with Peggy still in his hold. He slowly turned so she was on her back as he hovered over her. Peggy dug her fingernails in his back with one hand and gripped onto the back of his head with the other. As they slowly began to undress each other, Steve stretched his arm out and turned off the lamp on the side table.

* * *

 

The news obviously travelled fast about what happened in Wakanda. The press were all over it, focusing on what Wanda had done and did not brand it as anything but what they thought. Reckless behavior. 

Steve was sat in his office room at his desk, lost in thought when Peggy came through the door, holding Grace’s hand, Steve smiled to them both “Hey, how’s my girls?” he asked as he leaned down in his chair and kissed Grace’s cheek. Steve looked up and saw the expression on Peggy’s face that just screamed something was wrong, he tilted his head and took her hand “What is it?” 

Peggy went to speak but then looked down to Grace. She gave Steve a look which said  _ give me a minute  _ Peggy picked Grace up and sat her on the leather sofa on the other side of the small room, Peggy grabbed the _ Stark Tablet  _ that was on the table and put on an episode of Curious George to keep her distracted. 

Peggy crossed her arms and cleared her throat, she nodded and pointed to the screen “What happened in Wakanda has finally made the news”

Steve sighed, momentarily shutting his eyes as he turned back and faced the screen. He grabbed the remote and turned on the news channel. Peggy stood behind him, with her chin resting on the top of his head and her arms loosely around his neck as they watched. 

_ “Eleven wakandans were among those killed during the confirmation between the avengers and a group of mercenaries”  _

“Great” Peggy huffed then shook her head “I hope Wanda isn’t watching this” 

_ “The traditionally reclusive Wakandans were on an outrage mission in Lagos when the attack occurred”  _ The camera then cut to King T’Chaka of Wakanda.

_ “Our people’s blood is spilled on foreign soil, not only  because the actions of criminals and there is no difference from those pledged to stop them. Victory at the expense of the innocent is no victory at all”  _

Both of them had heard enough, Steve turned off the news. Peggy slid her hands up to his shoulders and went to say something, when they both heard the news anchor continuing to speak from another room. Peggy sighed as she rubbed his shoulders and said “We should probably go talk to her” 

Steve slowly stood up from his chair and looked to her “And say?”

“What we feel, what’s the truth, this isn’t her fault”

“I know” 

Peggy gave him a tight smile and nodded to the door “Go on, I’ll be in there in a moment” 

Peggy walked over to Grace and sat down beside her, stroking her hair softly, Peggy whispered “Grace, do daddy and I a big favour and stay here whilst we go and talk to Wanda”

“Wanda! I want Wanda” Grace mumbled as she took her attention off of the tablet. Putting her hands on Peggy’s shoulders as she knelt up on the couch. Grace loved Wanda with all her heart. She was like a big sister. Wanda would always use her light tricks to entertain her and would play with her in her room, help her with her colouring. But Grace hadn’t seen Wanda ever since they returned, not really anyway. 

Peggy lightly shook her head “Not right now, love, Wanda is going through a difficult time”

“Why?”

“It’s...hard to explain to you, you’ll understand when you’re older. Just please, do as mummy says and stay here, keep watching your Curious George and we’ll be right back” 

Peggy could tell that her daughter was not impressed by this demand. But she was a good girl, she she sat back down and continued to watch the show. Peggy kissed the top of Grace’s head “Thank you, my love” 

Peggy got up and walked out of the room, making her way to Wanda’s room she found Steve sat on the bed, sitting beside Wanda. Hearing Wanda say “Peggy told me about the day she cried about the fight you had in the streets”

Steve nodded “Yeah, it was bad. She had dealt with men like that but she had never seen innocent people fall to her feet like that. It’s different when they have a gun pointed at you. But I’ll say to you what I said to her...that this job, we try and save as many people as we can but that doesn’t mean everybody but we have to find a way to live with that. Next time maybe nobody gets saved” 

Wanda turned her head away from him. Peggy then made her entrance and walked over to the pair “He’s right” 

Wanda looked up and shrugged “I know” 

“And what I know, is that in time, it gets easier to cope with. You’re new to this world Wanda. Take it from some old timers like us to, it gets better” 

Then, out of no-where Vision stepped in through the wall, making Wanda jump “Vis! We talked about this” 

“Yes but the door was open so I assumed…” his words quickly trailed off as he looked at all the eyes looked at him with the same blank expressions on their faces, Vision dropped his arm and motioned it to Steve “Captain Rogers wished to know when Mr Stark was arriving”

Steve nodded as he looked down to the floor “Thank you we’ll be right down” 

“I’ll...use the door” Vision stated as he walked over to it “Oh and apparently he’s brought a guest”

Peggy crossed her arms and raised her eyebrow “Any idea who?” 

“The secretary of the state” he said, then leaving. Peggy quickly dropped her arms as she looked to the two of them. Seeing the worried luck that appeared on Wanda’s face Steve lightly tapped her knee and shook her head “Don’t worry. They won’t be here for you”

“I’ll go get Grace to play in her bedroom” Peggy stated as she walked out the door to fetch her daughter.

* * *

 

As Wanda went down, Steve caught up with his wife as she shut their daughters bedroom door, Peggy raised her eyebrows to him and swooped her arm around his to link together. 

“You think they’ll try to  _ discipline _ Wanda?” Steve asked.

“I’d like to see them try, I won’t let them go anywhere near her” Peggy scoffed. 

Steve smirked and looked to her “This motherhood certainly has made you more protective”

Peggy rolled her eyes at him “Behave”  

Steve and Peggy walked into the board room, where everyone already was. Natasha, Wanda, Sam, Rhodey, Tony and Vision. They walked over to the room, Peggy squeezed Natasha’s shoulder as she took a seat next to her. 

“Secretary Ross” Steve nodded. 

“Captain” Ross nodded back in a stern voice, he then let out a breath to lighten his tone as he clapped his hands together “Five years ago I had a heart attack” then mocking a golf position and added “I dropped right in the middle of my back swing, turned out it was the best trauma of my life because after the thirteen hours in surgery and a triple bypass...I found something forty years in the army never taught me...perspective” 

Peggy leaned back in her chair and glanced to Tony behind her. Looking rather sheepish as he sat in a chair tucked in the corner, he looked at her and softened his expression as he gave her a little wave. Tony had the utmost respect for Peggy, knowing how well she helped keeping Howard in check back in the good old days, the tales about her he didn’t get sick of unlike the stories of Steve, he found Peggy’s agent days much more interesting. She was a role model of his growing up.

Losing Peggy thinking she was dead and blaming himself was what really sent Howard off the rails, holding that guilt of thinking he killed his best friend made him hateful and bitter to everyone including his son. But Tony didn’t hold it against her, if anything they have a very good relationship. Peggy shot him the same look and gave him a small wave without lifting her hand from her leg and then turned back around. 

“The world owes the Avengers an unpayable debt. You have fought for us. Protected us. Risked your lives...but while a great many people see you as heroes, there are some who prefer the word vigilantes”

“And word would you use Mr Secretary?” 

Ross looked at Natasha and said bluntly “How about dangerous?” 

Peggy suddenly felt an unsettling feel in her stomach. This was one meeting that she could tell was not going to go their way “What would you call a group of US based enhanced individuals who routinely ignore sovereign borders and inflict their will where ever they choose and who quite frankly seem unconcerned about what they leave behind?” 

They all just remained silent as the screen in front of them lit up with the map of the world. 

“New York” Ross stated as the screen zoomed in and then showed the footage from a witnesses mobile phone of the Hulk smashing into buildings. That was Steve and Peggy’s first war since  _ the  _ war. And my god was it different from what they were used to. But to be a person who was merely a witness must have been even more terrifying. 

“Washington DC” more footage was shown. That was the fight that Peggy really thought she would lose Steve, going against Bucky made her think that he would get killed, because he wouldn’t hurt Bucky, even if he said he would if it came down to it she knew that he would stop himself from doing too much, but Barnes wouldn’t. She was the one who found him by the river, all battered and bruised. But rather that than not breathing. Within that month of him getting better they got pregnant. 

“Sokovia” now this was new, Peggy hadn’t really seen footage of Sokovia, only some from the news but she tried to not think about it because it just reminds her of when she had to hang back when escaping to Clint’s farm and staying with his wife Laura. Peggy met up with Steve when he and the rest of the avengers arrived, she was already there much to his happy surprise. Clint told her to go there before they set off for the fight. Peggy would never forget how brave she thought Laura was for coping with this, as a first time mother when so used to being in the front line with her husband, it was a feeling that was extremely frightening. She remembered how Laura looked to her when listening in on the news and said with a small smile  _ ‘The nerves settle after a while’  _ and she was right. 

Peggy looked to Wanda and saw her face, just knowing that she was thinking of her brother, she was preparing herself to turn around and tell Steve to stop them but the screen changed one last time and not for the better 

“Lagos” the footage of Lagos was chilling, the sound of people crying, the pieces of the building hitting people, and the last piece of footage of the dead child on the ground, Peggy looked over again and saw Wanda looking away, she hit her husband on the knee, which needed no explanation, she knew what he meant. Steve would tell Ross to turn it off in a more polite tone than Peggy would ever say, because right now she felt sick that they would do this. They knew that Wanda would feel guilty. 

“Okay. That’s enough” 

The screen shut off. 

“In the past four years you’ve run on unlimited power and no supervision, that’s an arrangement the governments of the world can no longer tolerate”

Peggy looked up at him and shook her head “It has taken you _four_ disasters to now come up with this idea? All of a sudden what we are doing is not good enough?”

“Agent Carter-”

“I believe  _ Director  _ still stands” Peggy said in a light snarl. She usually doesn’t care for what people call her by. Agent Carter. Agent Rogers. Director Carter or Director Rogers. She got all four from different people. She normally doesn’t give a damn. But Ross got under her skin, she wanted to raise the awareness of her authority once again. And Steve loved it. Sometimes, the people of this modern world sometimes forget that Peggy founded SHIELD alongside Howard at the end of 1947. It was mid 1948 when she was sucked into 2009. 

Ross sighed under his breath as he looked to her. Peggy kept her eyes locked at him, knowing she wouldn’t be the one to look away. And she wasn’t, Ross looked away and just carried on with what he was going to say “I think we have a solution” 

Ross passed over to Wanda a book that read  _ SOKOVIA ACCORDS. _

“Sokovia accords, approved by 117 countries it states that the avengers shall no longer be a private organisation...instead they’ll operate under the supervision of the united nations panel only if and when that panel, deems it necessary” 

_ Burn the damn thing  _ Peggy said in her head, then looking to Steve, he knew that he was thinking the exact same thing. 

“The avengers were formed to make the world a safer place...I feel we’ve done that”  He was proud of what they had built here. He felt like he was finally doing something that he could be proud of, for once in his life Steve could be proud of himself and say to himself _‘You did good, Rogers’_ and having this being put in front of him makes him think that he had no right to be proud. 

“Tell me Captain, do you know where Thor and Banner are right now?” 

Well, that shut them all up. As Ross dragged his speaking on. Peggy leaned her arms on the table and looked to Natasha, she just shook her head. But oddly, Natasha didn’t give her back the same look, she just shrugged. Which made Peggy feel even more unsettled. Rhodey soon spoke up as he looked down to the book “So. There are contingencies?” 

“Three days from now the UN meets in Vienna gratify the accords” Ross stated. Steve turned around and looked to Tony who remained silent and just looked at Steve with the raise of his eyebrows. 

“Talk it over” Ross said, then walking out to leave the room. Natasha couldn’t help but ask “And if we come to a decision that you don’t like?” 

“Then you retire. You’ll have no choice but to leave here and find somewhere else to live...and find something else to do” 

Peggy rubbed her forehead. She and Steve discussed retiring from this of course, but they can’t. Not yet. Their jobs for this world weren't done. They didn’t have to stability to get out of this place and find their own place, Ross is saying they’ll more or less be kicked out. And besides, their life was stable enough right now whilst Grace was under their full 24 hour care, it was when she had to start school that they would be ready to give this up. And neither of them were one for threats. Which is exactly what was being given to them.

As soon as Ross left the room. Peggy muttered under her breath as she looked at her husband “This is bull”

Steve just nodded and shrugged to her. Peggy then stood up and cleared her throat. Tony looked up at her and finally spoke “Where are you heading?” 

“I’d rather not discuss our future in a boarding room. Plus I need a tea”

“Good idea” Natasha said as she then stood “Let’s all relocated upstairs. I have a feeling Grace isn't going to like not hearing any noise for this long”

* * *

 

Everyone stood up and headed to upstairs. As they all sat round the living area. Steve made Peggy a tea and told her to sit whilst he went to check up on Grace. Peggy was always being the one who insisted on running around after their daughter. Steve took the chance for her to take a breath whenever he could. Steve popped his head in her room and smiled as he whispered “Hey Gracie” 

The toddler was playing with her teddies when he came in. She smiled brightly and waved with a teddy still in her hand “Hi daddy” 

Steve walked in and crouched down in front of her “We’re having a grown ups talk in the living room so we want you to stay in here okay?”

“Okay” Grace mumbled as she looked down to her teddy “Is mommy kay?” 

“Yeah, yeah mommy is  _ okay _ ” Steve put his hand on the back of her soft blonde hair and stared into her brown eyes that he saw Peggy in every single time and asked with a smile “Do you want anything? Drink? Cookies?” 

“Apple juice please”

“Animal crackers?”

Grace nodded with an excited smile on her face which made Steve laugh. Kids get excited over the smallest things. Steve kissed her forehead and said as he stood up “Alright. I’ll go get them”

Steve left the room, walking back into the living area to see Tony lying on the couch, with Natasha at his feet, talking to Peggy who was sat on the chair beside her. Wanda and Vision just looked to each other with small smiles on their faces and Rhodey and Sam looked like they were going to cook up an argument. As Peggy was speaking to Natasha, she looked up to Steve. He nodded to her and smiled to tell her everything with Grace was okay. He grabbed the carton of apple juice and the bag of animal crackers, put them in her room and then walked back in. He walked past Peggy and kissed the top of her head, then grabbing the Sokovia Accords off of the coffee table and sat on the arm chair facing her.

Steve’s prediction was right. Rhodey and Sam did end up in a heated argument that all of them had to listen to.  

“Secretary Ross has a congressional medal of honor. Which is one more than you have”

“So let’s say we agree to this thing. How long is it gonna be before they load jack us like a bunch of common criminals?” Sam argued back as he looked to everyone else. 

“117 counties went and signed this...117 Sam and you’re just like  _ no it’s cool _ ”

Peggy leaned forward and muttered “Is  _ anyone  _ going to shut them up?” 

“I have an equation” Vision finally spoke. Natasha looked to Peggy and smirked “Got your wish”

Peggy closed her eyes and whispered “I take it back. I don’t want a maths lesson I already got top marks”

Visions point wasn’t a stupid one. In explaining that whenever there was conflict between them and the bad guys, catastrophe always happens. But he was still siding with this plan. Which Peggy, Steve and Sam still struggled to agree with. Peggy and Natasha looked at Tony and both thought the same thing, it took Natasha to say it “Tony you are being uncharacteristically non hyperverbal” 

“That’s cause he’s already made up his mind” Steve pointed out.

“Boy you know me so well” Tony said in a blunt sarcastic tone as he stepped up from the couch and walked over to the kitchen. Peggy looked over to Steve and gave him the look that told him to stay civil in all of this, she knows how Steve and Tony can get when disagreeing on something. 

“Who's putting coffee grounds in the disposal?” 

Peggy cleared her throat as she pointed to Natasha and sat back in her chair, Natasha saw her do so in the corner of her eye and slapped Peggy’s knee “Tattle tale” 

Peggy raised her eyebrows to her before looking back to Tony and seeing the image he had gotten up of a young boy. No one had a clue who he was. 

“Oh that’s Charles Spencer by the way. Great kid” As Tony explained who Charles Spencer was, it took them awhile until they finally clocked on to where this was going "Charlie didn’t want to go to Vegas  cause that’s what I would do he didn’t want to go to Paris or Amsterdam sounds fun...he decided to spend his summer building sustainable houses for the people of guess where? Sokovia” 

None of them kept their eye contact with him, they all had to look away due to their guilt. Peggy wasn’t even there and even she felt guilty, she looked over and saw that Steve was feeling just as bad if not worse. 

“He wanted to make a difference I suppose but we won’t know cause we dropped a building on him while kicking ass”

“Alright, Tony” Peggy muttered. Tony looked at her and saw her shake her head at him. Not because of his point but because he was being so harsh about it “No one in this room should feel guilty for saving the world”

“That may be true” Tony said as he pointed his hand at her, then dropping it back down he shook her head “But we don’t even give the consequences a second thought…there’s no decision making process here. We need to be put in check!” Tony leaned against the counter and crossed his arms “Whatever form that takes I’m game. If we can’t accept limitations or boundaries then we’re no better than the bad guys” 

“Harsh” Natasha mumbled as she looked down to her hands.

“Sometimes the truth is, Natasha” Tony shrugged. 

“Tony. If someone dies on our watch you don’t give up” Steve spoke up.

“Who says we’re giving up?” 

“We are if we’re not taking responsibility for our actions this document just shifts the blame” 

Everything that Tony was saying, Peggy understood and she got why he was thinking this way, he was emotionally driven from his guilt. Whether it was from hearing about this boy or whether it was something else. And although she didn’t think he was in the wrong from thinking this. She also agreed with Steve 100%. Not because he was her husband, if it was flipped and it was Tony saying this, she would tell Steve she agreed with Tony. Peggy had never been under anyone’s control and she didn’t plan on being under it now. 

All she wanted was the freedom for herself and Steve but also for Grace. 

Steve made the point that the government could send them places at any time, even places they didn’t want to go. Peggy could not just pack up and leave every few weeks to go and stop some maniac because that’s not how it works. Steve and herself try to rotate the work of those sort of things with people on the team. If they agree to this, it give up their right to do so. 

“The safest hands are still our own” 

“If we don’t do this now, it’s going to be done to us later that’s the fact. That won’t be pretty”

“Are you saying they’ll come for me?” Wanda asked. With a stern expression but a worried tone. 

“We would protect you” Vision said in a gentle tone, Wanda looked at him and then looked to Peggy who nodded to what Vision said with a reassuring soft smile on her face. It gave Wanda comfort. Peggy was always there for her. Wanda was like a big sister to Grace, whereas Wanda felt that Peggy was a big sister to her. 

“Maybe Tony’s right” Natasha said, which caused Peggy’s head to  _ snap  _ to look at her. What did she just hear? “If we have one hand on the wheel we can still steer. If we take it off-”

“Who are you and what have you done with my Natasha?” Peggy asked with a stunned look on her face. Natasha sighed as she went to look at Peggy and then had her attention brought back to Sam as he said “And aren’t you the same woman who told the government to kiss her ass a few years ago?”

“I’m just…weighting the terrain” Natasha sighed and shook her head “We’ve made some very public mistakes. We need to win their trust back”

“I’m sorry did I mishear you or did you agree with me?” Tony asked with a smirk. 

“Oh I wanna to take it back” 

“No, no you can’t retract it”

Peggy felt her phone buzz in her front pocket. Peggy pulled it out and saw the message she was always dreading she would see. 

**_He’s gone. In his sleep...I’m so sorry, Peg x_ **

  * **__Sharon.__**



 

Peggy’s breath got caught in her throat, feeling like she couldn’t breathe at all. Her eyes filled up so much that she couldn’t see the screen of the phone anymore. She clutched onto it tightly and stood up from her chair with her face hidden and said nothing as she walked out.

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

It went silent, Natasha looked to Steve, who had his eyes fixed on the door that Peggy had just walked out off. He slowly stood up and followed out, not looking at the team or saying a word. He just focused on her. It wasn’t hard to find her, she was down the stairs, stood at the bottom.  _ Crying _ . Steve slowly walked down the stairs to the bottom and stood facing her. She didn’t look up. Steve stretched his arm out and placed his hand on her cheek to make her look at him. Steve wiped her stray tears on her left cheek and whispered “What is it?” 

Thinking that her overthinking about all of this had gotten too much for her, but then learning it was something totally different as she said in a crying whisper “He’s gone”

Steve’s face dropped. He let out a heavy hearted sigh as he look at her. Crying even more she sobbed “Michael’s gone” Steve pulled her close and hugged her tightly. Peggy clutched to his sweater and cried into his shoulder. Steve cradled her head and stroked her hair as he muttered “I’m so sorry”

Peggy wrapped her arms tightly around his waist as he held her. Steve kissed the side of her head “What can I do?” he whispered. Feeling like it was a stupid question. But Peggy appreciated his efforts.

“Be with me” Peggy whispered “I need you now more than ever”

“Always” Steve whispered as he continued to stroke her hair. Peggy’s phone went off again. But this time for a phone call. Peggy pulled back and looked down “It’s Sharon”

She answered and cleared her throat but still spoke with a wobble in her voice “Hi love”

_ “Hi...Peggy I’m so sorry. I was going to call but I had to deal with some stuff and-” _

“Sharon don’t worry it’s fine...did you find him?”

_ “No. One of his nurses” _

Peggy rubbed her forehead as more tears ran down her cheeks and sighed “God”

_ “How are you?” _

“Devastated. I was always trying to prepare myself but he is my brother after all” Peggy looked up to the ceiling and tried to keep her emotions under check as Steve rubbed her waist.  

_ "Yeah, of course, look...you’re aware that grandpa had a funeral already backed up from when the time did come” _

“Mm-hm. Is that underway?”

_ “Yeah. Funeral is in three days” _

Peggy looked up to Steve. Three days. That was the UN meeting. But nothing would get in the way of her brothers funeral. Nothing. Peggy nodded “Okay. Steve and I will get a flight tomorrow”

_ “Alright. See you soon” _

Peggy hung up the phone and stared down at it for a moment, then looking up as she tucked the phone in her back pocket and said “Funeral is in three days. Michael had it all planned out. I just thought he was being morbid but he must’ve known it was soon his time to...anyway...I know it’s-”

“Don’t even say it. The UN meeting doesn’t matter. Are you going to sign it?”

Peggy scoffed and shook her head “No, I most certainly am not”

“Good. Cause I’m not either”

Peggy let out a brief tight smile and then pressed the palm of her hand against her forehead as she bowed her head again and whispered “Michael...god” she looked back up and shook her head “Well. He always did have to make things complicated.  _ Especially  _ that time I found out he was alive when I spent six years thinking other wise back in the day”

She then looked away from him and shook her head as more tears formed in her eyes “I don’t know how I can bring myself to say goodbye to him again”

Steve pulled her in for a tight hug once again. Peggy pressed her head against his. She soon felt herself beginning to cry again. And all Steve could do was hold her.

* * *

After a little while, Peggy gathered her emotions and put  _ them  _ under check. She walked back upstairs, when she did, the group had disbursed since she left. Natasha looked up from making herself a drink and walked over to Peggy as she came over.

“Hey” she said softly as she put her hands on Peggy’s arm “Are you alright?”

“Depends by what you mean by alright...it’s Michael...he...he’s passed”

“Oh Peg, I’m so sorry” Natasha muttered as she brought her in for a tight embrace. Peggy rested her head on Natasha’s shoulder before pulling away and walking to the kitchen “I just need a drink”

She leaned down and opened the liquor cabinet, getting out a bottle of _Jack Daniels_ and pouring herself a bigger glass than usual.

“Okay...Peggy maybe you shouldn’t...” Natasha muttered as she walked over to her.

“My brother has just died, I think I’m entitled to having a bigger glass than usual”

Natasha remained quiet. Peggy poured the whiskey and slugged it back as if it was a shot. The whiskey burned down her throat to the pit of her stomach but she didn’t care. Peggy put the glass back down on the counter and asked “Where’s Steve?”

“With Grace, he took her outside to the field with Wanda”

Peggy nodded and looked down at the glass as she let out a deep breath, then turning around and putting it in the sink, returning the bottle back to where it belongs. She just drank a glass big enough to be two  _ portions  _ of whiskey, she wasn’t going to push it. It wasn’t just Michael. It was everything. This whole new thing about the accords was already dividing the family. Cause that’s what this was. A family.

Natasha could see that it wasn’t just Michael as well. She walked over and stood on the opposite side of the counter “It isn’t just about him”

Peggy closed her eyes as she kept her back turned to her and took a moment. Then hearing Natasha add on “You’re not going to sign it, are you?”

Peggy then slowly turned back around and looked to Natasha, who then shrugged and shook her head “Neither of you are”

Peggy sighed and shook her head as she said with a heavy heart “I can’t”

Natasha looked away from her as she nodded “I suspected that”

“I didn’t think you would go for it”

Natasha then let out a small smile and shrugged “Neither did I. But once I really listened I saw their view”

“I do see their point. Believe me I do. And if I agreed, I would tell Steve that I did...but I agree with him, when he says that the safest hands are still our own, I know that us ignoring the 117 countries looks bad, but those countries are  _ scared _ ...my gut tells me that they aren’t really listening to what they are signing away to, this is our freedom, Nat”  

“It’s harder for you”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Natasha sighed and shook her head as she rubbed her lips together, Peggy could see the hurt on Natasha’s face as she said “I have no husband or child to think about, I can sign this thing and not think about what repercussions it will bring on my family because I have no family”

Peggy stared at Natasha dead in the eyes and said in a quiet gentle tone “Yes you do. You have me”  she then shrugged and added “And Steve, Tony, Clint, Wanda...and Grace doesn’t call you Auntie Nat for nothing”

“Auntie  _ Net _ ” Natasha corrected with an amused smirk and the raise on an eyebrow. Peggy let out a brief smile and then licked her bottom lip as she gathered her thoughts “I don’t want you to feel like you have to sign this just because you aren’t married or a mother, because that is not just why I am signing this. Grace is a big part of it but...I’m not signing  _ for  _ me”

Natasha sighed and leaned down onto the counter as she took her eyes back to Peggy “I’m not just signing it for those reasons, I’m signing because I agree. A part of me wishes that I didn’t”

“Well, if it helps a part of me wishes that I did agree. God knows it’ll be easier”

“But you don’t think it’s right”

Peggy shrugged and shook her head “I don’t”

It fell silent for a moment between them. Peggy slapped her hand gently down on the counter again as she said “I can’t get into that right now. I’ve got to go and book our flights”

“For two or three?”

Peggy didn’t even think about that. Great. Peggy rubbed her forehead and groaned “I don’t know”

“If it helps. Tony said that Wanda and Vision are hanging back here whilst we go and sort all this UN thing out”

Peggy dropped her hand and looked back to Natasha “Why?”

Natasha shrugged “I don’t know. Tony said something about it not being their field”

It didn’t sound right since this decision involved the both of them. But it was the best option she had right now. Grace loved Wanda and Vision. And Wanda has certainly taken a shine to the young girl. You can tell by the way she plays with her. Like in the field with Steve right now. Peggy looked out the window to see her doing her levitation powers on the young girl by slightly lifting her off of her feet. Seeing Grace smile certainly brought one to her face.

“Alright. She’ll stay here with them. I’ll have to go book the two tickets”

Peggy began to walk into the office room before being stopped by Natasha who jumped in front of her “Peg” she paused as she looked into her friends soft brown eyes and said in a weak mutter “I wish things were different”

“I know, Nat” Peggy whispered as she rubbed Natasha’s arm, then giving her a tight smile and walking into the office to book the tickets. And even doing that was enough to make her eyes well up from Michael popping back up into her mind. And a damn memory flooding through her.

_ Peggy stared at her brother as he sat on a hospital bed. His hair was longer along with a scruff beard. Peggy couldn’t take her eyes off of him. He’s supposed to be dead. Six years and ten months ago to be exact. Agent Daniel Sousa walked over to her, and put his hand briefly on her arm to catch her attention. Peggy looked at him and whispered “How is this possible? I was there” _

_ “What?” _

_ “His funeral. I was there” _

_ Daniel shrugged “He’s was captured by Hydra for years, Peg, they faked his death. It’s been known” _

_ Peggy took her eyes back to her brother and asked as she crossed her arms “Can I talk to him?” _

_ “You haven’t? Peg he’s fine. The doctors did test on him, with Stark’s technology we would be able to pick up if anything was wrong. He’s your brother, go and see for yourself” _

_ Peggy walked over, slowly to the bed. Michael kept his eyes locked onto his clutched hands as he sat up on his bed. Then looked up as he heard the footsteps grow closer to him. He didn’t even know Peggy was here. She didn’t go near him for a good while, she kept a distance just in case. Seeing her made him shoot up in front of her and stare. She looked the same yet so different. Older, even more beautiful. _

_ “Peggy” Michael said breathlessly, he shook his head and cried “I thought I’d never see you again” _

_ Peggy pulled him close and hugged him tightly as her own tears ran down her cheeks. _

_ “Oh, Michael” she whispered “I’m the one who thought you were dead, imagine my surprise” _

_ “I’m sorry” _

_ “You have nothing to apologize for” Peggy said as she pulled back, putting her hand on his shoulders she broke out a smile “I’m just happy that I have my big brother back... because I could really have done with him lately” _

_ Michael brushed the stray hairs away from her face and hugged her tightly again “I’m not going anywhere, I’ll never leave your side again” _

Peggy kept her head in her hands for a few moments more until the memory slowly faded away, she placed her hands down on the desk and slid them back as she sat up in the chair. Peggy scratched her forehead and let out some deep breaths. She couldn’t help but go onto her phone and look at the pictures they took when she visited him a couple of months ago. Pictures of the phones she took of him and her back when they were young that he has framed. And one that Steve took on her phone of the siblings laughing together and hugging.

  
Looking at the pictures made her both smile and cry a little bit more.

* * *

**LONDON.**

Steve and Peggy pulled up outside the church where people gathered around the church seeing Sharon by the door with her mother. Sharon saw Steve and Peggy make their way up, she wasted no time and walked over to them “Peggy” Sharon said with a soft smile as she stretched her arms out and hugged her.

“Hi, Sharon”

Sharon pulled back and looked to Steve, giving him a smile and a nod “Steve”

“Hey, Sharon, how are you?”

Sharon shrugged and swayed side to side to signal  _ ‘so so’  _ she hitched her breath and said as she looked back to her Aunt “We prepared for it but...doesn’t make it any easier now that he’s gone”

Peggy nodded “I’ve had a fair good cry”

“How are you now?”

Peggy mocked Sharon’s body expression and swayed side to side. Sharon nodded “Of course” she then looked to Steve again and asked “You’re helping with the coffin, yeah?”

“Yeah. Yeah I am”

“Okay, well I think we’re ready to get this moving so, if you wanna make your way over to the car” Sharon pointed out the funeral car that had Michael’s coffin placed in it. With the Union Jack flag spread over it and his army cap resting on top of it. He never was one for flowers. Peggy stared at it for a moment, hardly believing that it was really him in there. Steve looked to her and rubbed her arm as he muttered “You okay?”

She just nodded.

Steve leaned his head forward and kissed the top of her head before going over to the car, to join Michael's nephew from his wife's side and two grandsons, who were Sharon’s cousins. Sharon put her arm around Peggy and whispered “Come on”

She and Peggy walked up to the door of the church where his funeral song choice of  _‘That’s Life’_ the Frank Sinatra version. Peggy stopped and hugged Amanda, Sharon’s mother. They then all walked down the aisle to the front. Peggy looked around the church, this was the very church that both she and Michael were Christened in. Peggy didn’t make it to Michael’s wedding, she had already been pulled away by then, but this was also the church he got married in. The two big stages of his life, happened in here. And now the final one in this world was now happening. 

Everyone in this church knew about Peggy, it was a small ceremony to begin with, just filled with family and close friends who were mainly the families of Michael’s war buddies. She was glad that she didn’t have to explain anything on who she was. So when she does get up and speak, she can speak from her heart without worrying about causing any confusion.

Everyone soon raised from their seats as the five men, two at the side and one at the back, walked down the aisle with the coffin resting on their shoulders. Steve on Peggy’s side at the front. He looked over to see the streaming tears run down her cheeks. He looked at her with a soft loving expression written across his face as he past her. Then, after placing the coffin down, he walked over and sat beside her. Wrapped his arm around her body and holding her close as the vicar began to say his words.

After a few hymns and a word from Amanda. It was Peggy’s time to speak.

“I now call Michael’s sister, Peggy, to say a few words”

Peggy took a deep breath and stood up, making her way over to the stand. She glanced to Steve who gave her one of his reassuring smiles and then looked to everyone else.

“Michael was my best friend. He and I would always get up to all kinds of mischief that would drive our mother mad. Such as when we used to pinch as many biscuits that we could carry from the cupboard in the kitchen and sprint upstairs, hiding under a the tent we made from our bed sheets...And I knew I always knew that I could count on him to be there for me, even when I lost him for a fair few years a year after the war had broke out, he was still helping me. Michael was the one who signed me up to join the army. And if I hadn’t of been in that war then, well, I wouldn’t be the woman that I am today. Thanks to Michael I met my husband...and when I got Michael back I swore to myself that I’d never let him go...and then I was forced to. Being pulled nearly seventy years ahead in time certainly changed things, Michael was older, much older...but he never failed to make me smile and laugh. He was and always will be my big brother, the big brother who never stopped believing in me”

Peggy looked over to his coffin and found herself smiling as she spoke to  _ him  _ “You will always be the voice in my head...I love you” she whispered. Before bowing her head down and taking a deep breath before stepping down from the stand and walking back over to her seat. Short and sweet is what he would have wanted, he always said how he didn't like a big fuss, and if Peggy didn't stop she would have gone on for hours. Steve rubbed her back as she did so and whispered “Well done” he kissed her cheek, Peggy smiled and pressed her head against his, with her hand on his leg as they watched Sharon stand up next.

Another hymn was sung, and more tears were shed. The funeral came to an end after a long and heartfelt service. Peggy stayed behind with Steve. She just needed a moment to just look at him, the framed photo above his coffin. Standing tall and proud in his army uniform, with his medals hanging on his jacket. The camera really captured the shine. Steve put his hands on Peggy’s shoulder from behind “He would be proud of you, for being so strong today of all days”

Peggy brought her hand up and gripped onto his “It would have been a lot harder without your support, so thank you”

Steve kissed the back of her head and whispered “Always” his arms wrapped around her waist and added “I just called Wanda. Grace is doing fine, being kept entertained”

“Good” Peggy whispered as she rubbed her husband’s hands.

“Room for a little one?”

The pair turned as they saw Natasha walk over to them. They both gave her a surprised look as to what she was doing here.

“How was it?” Natasha asked as she stopped in front of them.

“It was nice” Peggy said quietly with a nod “It was the send off that he wanted”

Natasha nodded, she then looked to Steve who just stared at her in silence for a moment and then asked “Who else signed?”

“Tony, Rhodey, Vision”  

That wasn’t unexpected, they are all not only close to Tony but they also think like him. Their logic is the same as his.

Peggy raised an eyebrow and asked “And Clint?”

Natasha nodded her head to the side for a brief moment and said with a small smile “Said he’s retired”

“Wanda?” Steve questioned

“TBD...I’m off to Vienna for the signing of the accords...there’s plenty of room on the jet”

Steve and Peggy appreciated her last shot of trying to bring them round, but it didn’t work out. They didn’t say anything, their faces said it all.

“Just because it’s a path of least resistance doesn’t mean it’s the wrong path...staying together is more important than  _ how  _ we stay together”

A good point. But it wasn’t enough, it didn’t shift their views on this. Natasha even knew this as she was saying it but it didn’t stop her from saying it.

“But what do we have to give up to do it?” Peggy shrugged as she shook her head. Natasha already knew she couldn’t change Peggy’s mind. And it seemed that she couldn’t change Steve’s either by how he bowed and shook his head “I’m sorry Nat, I can’t sign it”

Natasha let out a deep breath “I know”

Peggy tilted her head and said with a small smile with a shrug “Then what are you doing here?”

Natasha smiled and laid her hand on Peggy’s arm “Call it  _ moral support _ ”

Peggy smiled and tightly embraced Natasha “Thank you” she muttered as her head rested on Natasha’s shoulder for a brief moment or two as Natasha softly patted her back and whispered back “I’ll always be here for you” then pulling back she looked Peggy in the eye and raised an eyebrow with a smirk “You know that right”

Peggy nodded.

“Right. Well I’ve got a plane to catch. Meeting is in just a couple of hours so I need to get moving”

“We’ll walk you out” Peggy said, Steve looked at her and muttered “You sure?”

“Yeah. I’ve said my peace” Peggy nodded, then turning around and linking arms with Natasha as they walked out the church with Steve trailing along behind them. Steve called her a cab, Peggy leaned on the open cab door as Natasha slid into the cab, Peggy shut the door and ducked down to look at Natasha through the window “Good luck”

“Thanks...Peggy?”

“Yes?”

“Stay out of trouble whilst I’m gone” Natasha dryly teased as she put the window up and the cab drove away. She always was one for a dramatic exit. Peggy took a step back onto the pavement and put her arm around Steve body and pressed her body against his as she leaned her head on his chest, feeling him kiss the top of her head. She looked over and saw Sharon wave her mother goodbye as she put her in a cab.

“Let’s walk her back to her hotel” Peggy muttered as she slid her arm from his body and took hold of his hand as she walked over to her niece “Sharon”

Sharon looked up and smiled at them both “Hi”

“Hi, fancy some company?”

Sharon raised an eyebrow “You don’t have to play the protective Aunt, we’re practically the same age”

“That’s not true” Peggy shook her head “I’m ninety seven”

Sharon muttered a laugh as they began to walk in the direction of their hotel and added “How’d you keep the skin so young!”

Steve and Peggy both let out a laugh and shook their heads at the cheesy yet pretty effective joke.

“Should we go grab some dinner?” Sharon suggested “I’m pretty hungry before I have to head back and pack”

Steve and Peggy looked to each other, they had time. They both shrugged and nodded. Heading in another direction towards a bar. 


	4. Chapter 4

“So did you grow up with a lot of stories from Michael?” Steve asked as they walked into the hotel. Sharon nodded “Yeah, mostly about Peggy” 

Peggy said nothing, she just raised her eyebrows, looking very impressed with herself.

“Yeah it was actually the stories he told that made me want to get into this job”

Steve hitched a laugh and muttered “Well, that’s going to add to her ego” Peggy lightly elbowed Steve in the stomach and smiled to Sharon “I’m glad I could be of service during my absence”

“You certainly did that. Felt like I knew you before you turned out to be alive” 

Peggy smiled and rubbed Sharon’s back for a brief moment before she asked “Where’re you heading to next?”

Sharon pushed the elevator button and turned back to them “Berlin. Joint terrorism task force”

“Hm. Sounds...fun?”

“I know right” Sharon raised her eyebrows. Sharon rubbed her lips and cleared her throat “There’s something I was meaning to tell you, but I didn’t want to say at the church to upset you even more”

Peggy tilted her head “What?”

“The nurse said that before Gramps died...the last time she checked up on him that is...he said to as he showed her a picture of Grace  _ ‘isn't my niece as beautiful as her mother’  _ ... so he-”

“Remember her” Peggy said breathlessly as a wide grin ran across her face along with her eyes filling up with tears. Sharon nodded “They say the brain can sometimes recover lost memories before someone passes...so he died knowing you were loved and in safe hands Peggy. Because if he remembered Grace then” she looked to Steve “He certainly would of remembered you”

Steve then formed a warm smile. He was there with Peggy on the few occasions she managed to visit Michael and every time he didn’t remember who Steve was. So having the knowledge that by the end of his life, he died happy knowing Peggy had found happiness.

The elevator door opened.

“Well, thank you both for walking me back here”

As Steve and Peggy were about to say their goodbyes, they were interrupted “Steve. Peg. There’s something you gotta see. It’s about Vienna, on the news”

“Come up to my room, we’ll watch from there” Sharon said as she walked into the elevator, then quickly followed by the three of them.

“What is it?” Steve muttered to Sam, Sam looked to him and said bluntly “There’s been an attack”

“A what?” Peggy said with nothing but worry riding in her voice. Steve put his hand on Peggy’s cheek and muttered “Don’t worry”

“Don’t worry? Natasha was at the…” the doors opened. Sharon and Peggy were the ones who made it to the door the quickest. Sharon opened the door and grabbed the remote, turning on the news to reveal the footage of the building where the signing of the accords took place up in flames.

Sharon quickly got on the phone to work and paced back and forth behind the three of them as they had their eyes fixed on the screen.

“We need to get to Vienna” Peggy muttered with her hand still over her mouth. With Steve’s eyes still fixed on the screen he asked “You think it’s wise to get close?”

“I don’t care what is or is not wise, I won’t be able to sleep not knowing if Natasha is alright”

Steve looked to his wife and rubbed her back “We’ll go, but don’t stress yourself too much, Natasha will be fine”

“How do you know?”

“Because she’s always fine” He put his arm over her shoulder as they both took their attention back to the TV.

_ “A bomb hidden in a news van outside the UN building in Vienna. More than 70 people have been injured at least 12 are dead including Wakanda’s King T’Chaka...officials have released a video of a suspect who they have identified as James Buchanan Barnes. The Winter Soldier” _

“Oh my god” Peggy whispered to herself as she lifted her head from leaning on Steve. She felt Steve’s body tense up against hers. She looked up and saw his jaw clench as he let the news sink in. Sharon then came up next to her and said “I have to go to work”

“We all do” Steve added on in a mumble.

“I have a jet waiting for me, I made the call that I’m switching destinations. We’ll grab your stuff from your hotel and get going, okay?”

Steve and Peggy nodded to her. Sharon let out a deep breath and nodded as she looked around the apartment “Alright, you guys get going whilst I pack my stuff and I’ll come and pick you up”

“And Sam will be doing”? Sam asked as he raised his hand. Sharon rolled her eyes and looked to him “The same thing, Sam, if that wasn’t obvious enough”

Sam smirked at her and shook his head “Just checking”

“Come on, Sam” Steve called, like an older brother nagging his younger sibling along. Which was the basis of their relationship 90% of the time.

The three of them squeezed into a cab and paid the driver an extra five bucks to go a little faster than usual. Which he was happy to do. They didn’t bring much to London thank god, they had only planned on staying another night and leaving tomorrow morning but that may be off the table right now. Peggy hoped that Wanda wouldn’t mind taking care of Grace for a little while longer. But she was sure that it would be no trouble. Grace hardly ever is. She’s rather tame for a toddler.

* * *

Within ten minutes of being in the hotel room they were ready and packed, with just a gym bag between them. Sharon was outside with car at 11 minutes. They all headed down to the car and jumped in. Sharon may have broke one or two speeding laws whilst getting to the airport but, she was CIA. She didn’t care.

Much like a jet from the Avengers base, this one also got them to Vienna within a short amount of time.

They couldn’t been recognized though. So what do you do when you’re trying not to be seen? Put on a cap and sunglasses. It’s fool proof. But then Peggy pointed out that not She, Steve and Sam can wear that, because that’ll look shifty. Peggy grabbed her zip up hoodie and pulled the hood over her head. Steve didn’t see how it would do anything at first, but it was surprisingly effective.

They made their way to the police set up and ambulances, watching Sharon as she stormed off and got straight to work. Peggy spotted Natasha sat at a bench. She didn’t look harmed thank god. The man she was talking to soon got up after a few word exchanges and left her alone. Peggy held out her hand “Give me your phone?”

Steve pulled out his phone and placed it in her hand “Why?” he asked slowly due to his confused state.

“I left my phone in my bag and I’m going to call her, we can’t go over there now can we?” Peggy scrolled through his contacts and pressed call. She held the phone up to her ear. And didn’t have to wait too long to hear her friend’s voice.

_ “Yeah…” _

“Are you alright?” Peggy asked quickly.

She then heard Natasha let out a calming sigh and saw her nod as she stood up  _ “Yeah I’m fine, thanks I got lucky” _

“That’s in your nature. I was worried”

_ “Well that’s in your nature...where are you?” _

Peggy remained silent for a moment, and it was enough for Natasha to get the idea  _ “Peggy, you can’t be here” _

“We heard what they said on the news”

_ “About Barnes?” _

“Yes”

Natasha shut her eyes for a moment and then asked  _ “Is Steve next to you right now?” _

“When is he not?”

_ “Put him on” _

“Alright” Peggy said in a quiet tone, she took the phone from her ear and handed it over to Steve and shrugged “She wants to talk to you. About Bucky”

Steve sighed as he took the phone, already knowing where this was going to go “Yeah?”

_ “Please don’t do this. You and Peggy just...just go home” _

“I can’t do that, Nat”

_ “I know how much Barnes means to you I really do. Go home. You’ll only make this worse for all of us. Please” _

Steve looked to Peggy as he said to Natasha “Are you saying you’ll arrest us?”

Peggy’s face dropped, her eyes then traveled to Natasha and saw her shake her head, noticing how conflicted and hard this was for her to be in this situation.

_ “No. I wouldn’t do that to either of you...but someone will if you interfere, that’s how it works now. Think about Grace” _

Steve shook his head “I am. If he’s this far gone Nat, I should be the one to bring him in”

_ “Why?” _

“Cause I’m the one least likely to die trying” Steve said and hung up on those words. Peggy looked at Natasha and saw her curse under her breath as she put her phone back in her pocket and ran her fingers through her hair as she walked away.

“This is dividing everyone already” she said as she shook her head.

“Peggy, I can’t-”

“I can’t let him go either, I’m not suggesting we do. I just hope things don’t break too much in the process of getting him back” Peggy said with a shrug. Steve took a step towards her and lifted her head with his finger under her chin and pressed his lips softly against hers. His hand then traveled to resting on her cheek as their kiss lasted longer than expected. Their lips detached as their foreheads remained pressed together for a moment before Peggy nudge his head and whispered “Okay. Let’s get our boy”

Steve and Peggy walked back into the cafe where Sam was sat at. They walked over to the bar with their eyes keeping focus on the menu board ahead of them to avoid catching attention.

“She tell you two to stay out of it?”

They said nothing, Peggy just shot him a quick glance to give their answer. Sam shrugged as he looked back down to his cake “Might have a point”

Steve glanced down to the bar and said “You’d do it for me”

“1945 maybe, just wanted to make sure we’ve considered all our options”

“There isn’t many to consider, Sam” Peggy said quietly. Sam looked to her “Well. The ones that we do have. People that shoot at you two usually wind up shooting at me”

Steve looked at him with a straight face whilst Peggy rolled her eyes and looked back to the menu board as she leaned down on the bar, then looking down at the bar to avoid the waitress that was in front of her for a brief moment. 

“Tips have been pouring in since that footage went public” Sharon said as she walked up to the bar. She also kept her eyes locked straight ahead “Everybody thinks the Winter Soldier goes to their gym. Most of it’s noise” Sharon then slid a document in between Steve and Peggy and added “Except for this”

Discreetly, Peggy slid it over to Steve, who took hold of it and hid it in his jacket.

“My boss expects a briefing pretty much now so that’s all you’re gonna get”

“Thank you, Sharon” Peggy said as she looked down at her hands. Still having to pretend she didn’t know her own flesh and blood.

“You’re gonna have to hurry. We have orders to shoot on sight” Before Sharon walked away, Peggy brought her to a halt “Wait” Peggy then turned to Steve “I’m going to go with Sharon”

“What?”

“Sam will scope out the area around whatever location is in there. This leads you to him and it will be better if he only see’s you. Plus what am I going to do? No, like you said you’re the best chance of surviving for trying to get through to him, I’ll go back with Sharon and do some digging”

“Romanoff will be there too” Sharon said from behind Peggy, who had her eyes fixed on her husband. She slowly nodded to him “Okay?”

Steve didn’t like being apart from her, he never does. But it was the best move right now. Bucky hardly remembers Steve he will have a harder time remembering Peggy, even if they did have a laugh together back in the war. He took a deep breath and nodded.

“Okay”

Peggy gave him a small smile. She couldn’t exactly kiss him right now in such a public place. But he knew she would if she could. Peggy raised her eyebrows to him and whispered “Just don’t get killed”

Steve let out a smirk and nodded as he whispered “I love you too”

Peggy let out another tight smile and walked behind Sharon as she was led out. Getting in Sharon’s car, Peggy dropped her hood and asked “So will I have some sort of interrogation when I arrive?”

“No” Sharon shook her head “One, you’re family and I would argue against it and two, you’re still the original director of shield. They got nothing on you” she smirked as she glanced to Peggy before pulling the car out of it’s spot and driving away.

* * *

 

 

Peggy and Sharon got to the CIA base in Berlin. Peggy saw Natasha, now in a more  _ Natasha  _ looking set of clothes. The assassin looked over and saw her friend walk through the door and smiled brightly, she then made her way quickly over to Peggy and hugged her tightly. 

“I’m glad to see you” Natasha muttered as she held Peggy tightly. They then pulled apart and looked to each other, Natasha then looked over Peggy’s shoulder “Where’s Steve?”

Peggy slowly rubbed her lips together as she stared at Natasha and raised her eyebrows. Natasha’s face dropped into an exhausted frown “No…” she muttered, then groaning “You do realize he is going to get arrested?”

Peggy shrugged “I can’t tell him what to do-”

“Please” Natasha rolled her eyes “He’d fall to his knees if you asked”

Peggy raised her eyebrows and finished her sentence “When it comes to Bucky”

Natasha raised her head up and brought it back down as she muttered “Oh”

“Just like he wouldn’t be able to tell me what to do when it comes to you. Like before, when I thought something had happened to you at the signing of the accords I demanded we come here and he had no chance to even think about arguing”

Natasha smile “You’re all heart, seriously...by the way now that you’ve mentioned it. There’s something you should know. About Vienna” Natasha looked around and then looked back to Peggy and said in a hushed tone “T’challa, the new _profound_ King of Wakanda is after Barnes as revenge for his father’s death”

Peggy rubbed and rubbed her forehead, she looked away from Natasha for a moment and crossed her arms as Natasha kept her hand still latched onto one “He didn’t do it. I honestly don’t believe he would do it”

Natasha nodded “Me either”

Peggy looked at Natasha for a moment, with a confused look on her face. Why would she even have an opinion on Bucky? Before she had chance to question it, Sharon’s boss, Everett Ross came rushing through with a heap load of well armed men.

Natasha stepped away from being in front of Peggy and stood beside her to get a better look. The men loaded up in trucks.

Natasha folded her arms “What’s going on?”

Everett looked to the two women “We found out where Rogers is heading. He’s going to get Barnes in Bucharest. Police over there are already on it I'm sending out my guys to pick em up” he then shifted his eyes to Peggy and pointed to her “Your husband has got a lot of explaining to do”

Peggy stared at him and said nothing, she just shrugged her shoulders with an expression on her face which showed how _un-phased_ she was by his attempts of making her feel nervous or unsettled. But she wasn’t, she had always kept her faith with Steve and she will keep it with him in situations like this especially.

Peggy watched as Everett’s men headed on out, and then watched as Tony came in. Peggy laid on an innocent smile, as Natasha went over to speak to Sharon, Tony walked over to her and unbuttoned his jacket, wiggling his finger to her and shaking his head “Don’t pull that face on me”

“What?” Peggy shrugged.

Tony sighed and dropped his hands to her arms and just stared at her, he tilted his head and whispered “God you love him don’t you”

Peggy clicked her gum and shrugged as she nodded “Little bit” she muttered back with a small smile “Tony you knew this would happen, you knew that Steve would end up finding Bucky, he’ll stop at nothing to get him back”

Tony sighed as he dropped his hands back down to his side “Well. The  _ Bucky to my Rogers _ has gone out there with Everett’s men to fetch them both”

“Rhodey does like being bossy” Peggy mumbled with an amused smirk, she then dropped her smile as she saw Tony’s blank expression and said in a calm tone “I trust my husband in the choices he makes...I’m sure Pepper works in the same logic”

Tony frowned and shook his head as he muttered, looking down to the ground “She’s not really doing that anymore”

“What do you mean? And where is she? I haven’t seen her in a while”

Tony sighed as he looked back up to her. He didn’t need to say anything more, the look on his face said it all. Peggy’s face dropped “Oh Tony” she muttered, then pulling him in closely for a tight hug “I’m so sorry”

Tony shrugged in her arms “It’s just a break. Who knows, things may work out”

Peggy rubbed his back “I hope they do, for the sake of you both, you two need each other”

Tony sighed and rested his head on Peggy’s shoulder for a moment more, then patting her on the back and pulling away as he gave her a tight smile and a grateful nod. Peggy sighed “Well, there’s no point standing here, Sharon and Natasha went back there, shall we?”

Peggy held out her arm to him and raised an eyebrow, Tony rolled his eyes and linked her arm as they walked to the monitor room.

* * *

Vision watched Wanda as she stood by the pan and tested his first attempts of cooking. She looked up with a smile and nodded “Spirits lifted”

 

“In my defense I haven’t actually ever eaten anything before so-”

“May I?” Wanda asked, Vision nodded and stepped aside as Wanda began to add her own mixes of spices to the dish. She had just come out of Grace’s room, she had spent all day playing with her and keeping her entertain through helping her with coloring or amazing her with her tricks.

“Wanda…”

“Hm?”

“Nobody dislikes you, Wanda”

Wanda lifted her head, a little confused and let out a blushing smile as she looked back down at the spice shaker “Thanks”

“Oh you’re welcome. It’s an involuntary response in the amygdala that they can’t help but be afraid of you”

Wanda stared at him, knowing he was trying to make her feel better but unaware that he certainly wasn’t  “Are you?”

“I make the re-synthetics so”

Wanda let out a laugh and looked down to the pot. Wanda found herself being able to open up to Vision, she told him how she didn’t understand herself who she was or what these powers were about. It was easy to open up to him because he then exchanged the same amount of honesty by talking about how he didn’t know what the gem on his head was, the way he spoke about himself, saying that the gem was part of him made her feel better about having the powers be apart of her.

After a brief moment of silence, Wanda looked to the pot and said as she looked back up to Vision “I don’t know what’s in this but it is not paprika...I’m gonna go to the store. I’ll be back in twenty minutes, Grace’s dinner is in the fridge in case she gets hungry whilst I’m gone” she went to leave the kitchen but was stopped as Vision stopped in front of her.

“Alternatively we could order a pizza?”

Wanda stared at him and slightly raised her eyebrows with a blunt expression on her face “Vision. Are you not letting me leave?”

He looked away from her, to the floor as he said “It is a question of safety”

“I can protect myself” Wanda reassured, then taking another step, Vision placed his hand on her arm “Not yours” he said “Mr Stark would like to avoid the possibility of another public incident until the accords are on a more secure foundation”

Wanda hitched her breath and looked to him “And what do you want?”

“Wanda!” The two year old called from her room. Vision kept his eyes on Wanda and said gentle “For people as I do”  

Wanda stared at him and then heard her name being called again by Grace. Wanda sighed and looked away, she pushed his arm down “If you don’t mind, I will go and see Grace now, unless Tony is also worried about _her_ safety?”

Vision shook his head and muttered weakly “No, he trusts you with her”

“Does Steve and Peggy know he’s done this?”

Vision looked to her and again shook his head “As far as they know you are just staying back until this is fixed”

Wanda hitched her breath again in a more bitter tone and rolled her eyes as she turned away from him and walked into Grace’s room. She had to push down her anger and hurt emotions to the pit of her stomach when she walked into the room. Wanda smiled and knelt down to Grace as she sat in the middle of her room just like she was when Wanda left her “Hello, angel”

“When are mommy and daddy home?” Grace mumbled with a pout. Wanda sighed and ran her fingers through Grace’s blonde locks, the young witch shrugged “I’m not sure” she then put on a smile and shrugged “But I am sure they will be home soon. They’ll be missing you”

Grace then smiled, she put her hands on Wanda’s cheeks and mumbled “Have you”

Wanda’s smile was filled with more genuine warmth “Yes, angel, you have me” Wanda leaned forward and lightly pressed her forehead against the young girls before whispered “Okay, so, want to fly again?”

Grace jumped up and clapped her hands “Yes! Yes!”

Wanda sat back and used her powers to levitate Grace in the air, pulling an excited expression on her face, then letting out a giggle as she saw the overly thrilled look on the two year old's face. 

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

An hour and a half later, Natasha came over to Peggy, who was stood by the monitors. With her arms crossed she turned as she heard Natasha call her name. Natasha stopped and looked at her for a moment in silence as she tried to gather her words, she placed the palm of her hands together and said “Okay. So. They’re bringing Steve in?”

“And _by bringing him_ in you mean he’s been arrested?”

Natasha nodded “I tried to lay it on lightly”

Peggy let out a light groan as she looked up to the ceiling for a brief moment, then hearing an Agent to her left say to her “Wait...you know Captain America?”

Peggy and Natasha both slowly looked at him with the same expression on their faces. Eyebrows knitted together at his sheer stupidity of the question that was just asked. Peggy, with the same looked still on her face said “Just a tad, I am his wife”

The Agent eye’s widened, he held his hands up and said in a light laugh “Whoa, he’s married?”

It fell silent for a moment due to Peggy being at an utmost loss of words, Natasha stared at him with the same expression and said in a bewildered whispered “Jesus Christ where the hell have you been for the past six years?”

The agent shied away as someone called “They’re here!”

Peggy and Natasha looked to each other, Natasha nodded “Go ahead, I better go alert Tony”   
Peggy nodded and made her way down to see him as Natasha went the other way.

Peggy went to the main reception where Sharon and Everett Ross stood as they waited. Peggy stood beside Sharon as she saw the cars pull up, Sharon looked to Peggy “He’s in trouble, you know?”

“He’s always in trouble” Peggy dropped her arms as she saw Bucky being contained in some kind of chamber, strapped down with metal bars. This was the first time she’s seen him in two years, it was surreal for her she can’t imagine how surreal it was for Steve. Bucky looked right at her, with a blank expression on his face, not making it clear at all whether he remembered her or not. Her eyes shifted as she saw Steve get out of the van. As he walked towards them, Peggy walked over to him before Everett spoke to him.

Steve softly smiled as she walked into his arms and whispered “Hi, baby”

A wide warm smile ran across Peggy’s face as she put her hand on the back of his head “Hello you” she slid her hands down from his back to his arms as she pulled away and looked to him after giving another glance to Bucky “Does he…”

“Think so” Steve nodded.

Peggy let out a smile and softly nodded, she looked to T’Challa “That’s…”

“Uh huh” Steve mumbled “He’s after Buck, because of his father”

After a moment of silence she raised her eyebrows and whispered “You’re in some trouble apparently” Steve looked over her shoulder to Sharon stood with Everett, he sighed and shrugged “Let’s get it over with then”

Peggy slid her hand in his as Steve nodded to Sam and they carried on walking over. Seeing their suits getting handed over to the CIA.

“What’s gonna happen?” Steve asked.

“Same thing that ought to happen to you. Psychological evaluation and extradition” Everett laid on thick. Peggy muttered to Steve and Sam who he was.

“What bout a lawyer?”

Everett let out a small laugh “Lawyer that’s funny. See their weapons are placed in lock up...oh we’ll write you a receipt”

Sam locked his eyes on the suit and said as they followed Everett and Sharon “I better not look out the window and see anybody fly around in that”

Steve and Peggy both turned their heads one more time to Bucky and saw his expression slightly shifted to looking at them with more warmth before looking away as the doors shut. Peggy looked to Steve “At least we’ve got him”

“Yeah...it just...depends on what these guys will do to him” Steve said with a blunt expression on his face. Peggy squeezed her arm “Hey, there was a point where we thought we would never see him again, what you should learn from all of this is that you should always hold onto hope. These guys are not the bad guys, they’re arses yes but…”

Steve kissed the top of her head “I know, I’m just worried”

“All we can do for him now is carrying on fighting his corner” Peggy shrugged “With a bit of luck, that’ll be enough”

Their focus shifted to in front of them as Natasha came over, walking towards them, she raised her eyebrows to Steve “For the record this is what making things worse looks like”

“He’s alive” Steve simply said as they carried on walking. They walked into the monitor room to see Tony on the phone, stepping out of the glass boardroom in the centre of the room. Looking at Steve with a stern almost disappointed dad expression on his face. Steve, Peggy and Sam stood by it as Natasha walked past them and said “Try not to break anything while we try and fix this”

“Hey” Peggy said as she pushed Natasha. Natasha turned back and winked “Not you”

“Consequences? You can bet they’ll be consequences” Tony said over the phone “Obviously can quote my on that cause I just said it, anything else? Thank you, Sir” Tony hung up as he walked over to them.

“Consequences?” Steve quoted.

“Secretary Ross wants you both prosecuted” Tony stated as he slid his phone in his pocket “Had to give him something”

“Not getting that shield back, am I?”

Natasha turned and said “Technically it’s the government's property. Wings too” Peggy snorted a small laugh as Sam muttered “That’s cold”

“Warmer than jail” Tony called.

Peggy let out a long breath and took Steve’s hand “Come on, we have to call in” she led him into the board room and took out her phone. Steve sat on the chair and put his hands on Peggy’s waist from behind, pulling her down and sitting her on his lap as she pressed her phone to her ear.

 _“Hello”_ Wanda picked up.

“Hi, Wanda, how are you?”

There was a pause _“I’m fine...are you with Tony?”_

“Yes, why is everything alright?”

Wanda didn’t want to cause any friction, she knew how on edge everyone was lately, she didn’t want to make it worse by telling them he had her on lockdown over here. Wanda cleared her throat and spoke in a more positive tone _“Everything’s fine, I was just wondering if you were together that’s all. Is everything okay with you?”_

“Fairly complicated but it’ll be alright”

_“I’ll put Grace on”_

Peggy waited as she heard the muttering brief exchanges between Wanda and Grace.

_“Mommy!”_

Peggy’s eyes suddenly filled up, hearing Grace’s voice just reminded her how much she missed her. These past few hours had distracted her, but actually hearing voice and brought her down to earth, she didn’t know when all this would blow over so they could get home.   
“Hi, baby” Peggy managed to say in a dry whisper. The thought of being away from her daughter from more than a day spilled out her emotions.

_“Miss you”_

“We miss you”

_“When are you n daddy coming home?”_

Peggy looked to Steve, who could hear every word Grace was saying and frowned, Peggy sighed and gulped heavily as she closed her eyes and said “I don’t know, love”

 _“Why?”_ Grace cried over the phone.

Peggy let out a shaky breath and mumbled through her tears “Daddy and I have work to take care of”

_“But...but I want you”_

Peggy bottom lip began to wobble as she covered her eyes with more tears running down her cheeks. “I want you too, baby” she whispered as her voice cracked. She felt Steve lightly take the phone out of her hand, Peggy stood up and walked over to the end of the boardroom as she tried to get her emotions under check.

“Hey princess” Steve said as he leaned forward in his chair “Look, Gracie, I know you miss me and mommy, we miss you too honey. But I promise, when we get home, and I’m not quite sure when that is yet but when we do, you, me and mommy are all going to go out, wherever you want”

Grace took a minute after sniffling and mumbled _“The zoo?”_

Steve smiled “The zoo? Sure baby, we’ll go to the zoo. All you gotta do for mommy and I is be a big girl and make us happy by having fun with Wanda and Uncle Vision, you think you can do that for us?”

_“Yes, daddy”_

“That’s our girl, we’ll try and call everyday alright? And we’ll be with you in spirit at night to give you your bedtime kisses”

He heard Grace let out a tearful giggle _“Okay”_

“Okay” Steve said in a whisper “We’ll see you soon, Grace, we love you”

_“Love you too”_

Steve took the phone away from his ear as the call ended. He stared down at his phone for a moment and took a deep breath as he felt his eyes prickle through his eyes filling up a little. It was harder than they ever anticipated. Steve looked up to Peggy now facing him, with one arm crossed over her stomach and her other held up as she gritted her thumb nail between her teeth, she took her eyes to him and dropped her hand from her mouth and shrugged “I’m sorry”

Steve shook his head as he put his phone down on the table and stood up as he walked over to her “Don’t be sorry” he put his hands on her arms and lightly kissed her lip. Peggy sighed as she bowed her head “I don’t know what came over me”

Steve smiled lovingly as he looked at her and ran his fingers through her hair “You’re her mother”

Peggy gripped onto his jacket and shook her head “We’re doing the right thing aren’t we? We’re doing right by our baby girl?” Steve pulled her in close and hugged her tightly as he cradled her head “Yeah, Peg, we’re doing the right thing, we can’t have the government take her away from us whenever they feel like it”

“I just feel that fighting against it could make things worse...but we can’t exactly agree to it either”

“Double edged sword” Steve muttered as he slowly pulled back and wiped her tears with his thumbs as he cupped her face and kissed her forehead, then looking into her eyes he whispered “Have hope remember?”

Peggy let out a small smile and nodded “Yeah” Peggy pressed her lips back against his and then whispered “I love you, Steven Grant Rogers”

Steve smiled and whispered back “I love you too, Margaret Elizabeth Rogers”

“Don't call me Margaret” Peggy muttered with a smirk as she brought her lips back to his. Steve smiled and then kissed her hands as he locked his eyes to hers “We’ll get home soon”

“Do not make promises you can’t keep, love”

“Believe me, I’m saying that for my sake as well as yours”

They then heard the door open “Hey you two wanna see something cool?” Tony asked as he walked in the room, Peggy subtly wiped her tears away as Steve let go of her hands and faced him. Steve and Peggy sat down as he put it on the box on the table. He opened it of two pens “FDR signed the lend lease bill with these in 1941...provided support to the allies when they needed it most”

Steve smiled at Tony’s efforts and dryly teased “Some might say it brought our country closer to war”

Tony glanced to Peggy who just shrugged and rolled her eyes “See if it weren't for these _you_ wouldn’t be here” Tony wittingly answered back, Peggy hummed a high pitched laugh and looked down at her hands that rested on the table before sitting back in her chair and looked to Tony as he sat facing her.

“I’m trying to what do you call it? It’s err an olive branch, is that what you call it?” Tony muttered as he rested his head in his hand, covering his mouth.

“Is Pepper here? I didn’t see her” Steve asked as he looked around. Peggy sighed and looked at Tony with a sympathetic expression, he glanced to her and gave her a tight smile as he then built himself up to answer Steve “We’re kind of…well not kind of-”

“Pregnant?” Steve said with a smile, leaning back in his chair and saying as he looked to Peggy “Give Grace a play mate” he noticed how her smile was forced and then took his attention back to Tony, clearly she knew something he didn’t.

Tony shook his head “No definitely not, we’re taking a break...it’s nobody’s fault”

It certainly took Steve by surprise “So sorry, Tony, I didn’t know”

Tony motioned his hand to Peggy and shook his head “It’s not her fault, she only just found out today too”

Steve looked to Peggy and shook his head as he looked back to Tony “No, no I...it's alright”

Peggy leaned forward on the table and finally spoke up “You never mentioned what happened? Do you want to talk about it?”

Tony sighed and shrugged “Few years ago I almost lost her, so I trashed all my suits...and we had to mop up Hydra and then Ultron. My fault. And then and then and then I never stopped...cause the truth is I don’t want to stop...I don’t want to lose her...I thought maybe the accords could split the difference” Tony leaned back in his chair and looked at the pair back and forth “You see, you guys don’t realise how lucky you actually are”

He stood up as they said nothing. Tony slid his hands in his pockets as he looked through the glass wall, he then looked to Peggy and nodded “I mean dad was a pain in the ass right?”

Peggy snorted a laugh “Understatement. I don’t know how your mother coped”

“Yeah I mean, they always made it work” Tony muttered as he straightened his tie and looked back to the computers

“You know I’m glad Howard got married. I only knew him when he was young and single” Steve said.

Tony turned “Oh really you two knew each other? He never mentioned that, only a thousand times” He sighed as he put his jacket on “God I hated you” Tony looked to Peggy and smiled “Not you, Peg”

Peggy shot him a smile and wink as Steve then said “I don’t mean to make things difficult”

“I know because you’re very polite person” Tony said before walking to the other side to the corner of the table, in between Steve and Peggy.   
  
“If I see a situation pointed south I can’t ignore it, sometimes I wish I could”

Tony and Peggy stared at him, Peggy squinted her eyes slightly and shook her head “No you bloody don’t”

Steve then dropped an amused smile and shook his head and quickly gave in “No I don’t...sometimes…”

“Sometimes I want to punch you in your perfect teeth” Tony muttered.

“Good” Peggy raised her eyebrows to Steve “Not just me then”

Tony smirked to Peggy and put his hand on her shoulder and said “But I don’t want to see you gone. We need you, Cap, we need both of you...so far nothing's happened that can’t be undone if you just sign” he said with desperation and he pointed to the pens. Peggy took her eyes back to Steve as Tony said “We can make the last 24 hours legit. Barnes gets transferred to an American psych centre instead of a wakandan prison”

As Steve stood up with the pen in his hand, Peggy hitched her breath and shook her head “This isn’t just about Bucky, Tony”

“I know, I know it’s not and I know that if you could afford a place right now and be financially stable then this would be easier for you to walk away but the hard truth is you _don’t_ have that right now. And you also don't want to walk away, if you say you do then you're lying to yourselves. I know this is about Grace as well, you think I don’t care what happens to her? But the government can compromise that, if you just sign you’ll be well in their good books and you can come down to an agreement that you find best suited”

Peggy looked to Steve, who had his eyes on her. What Tony was saying did not sound entirely wrong, he did have a point. Perhaps they could compromise. Steve looked to Tony “We’d have a routine on who would take the jobs they assign? And Bucky would have safeguards”

“Sure” Tony quickly agreed “Once we put out the PR fire these documents, they can be manual” he said as he sat down in the seat that Steve was previously sat in “I file a notion, have you guys and Wanda re-instated”

His last words caught both of their attention “Wanda what about Wanda?” Steve asked.

“She’s fine she’s confined to the compound currently, Visionis keeping her company”

“Hold on” Peggy raised her hand and then pointed to him “You said she _chose_ to hang back?”

“Because I knew what both would think if I phrased it like I just did”

Peggy let out a deep breath full of disbelief as Steve said “God, Tony”

Peggy strummed his fingers on the table and shook her head “Differently from one implying it was at her free will to one being the opposite”

Before Tony had the chance to defend himself, Steve weighed in “Everytime, everytime we think you see things-”

“100 acres with a labpool, there’s a screening room there’s worse ways to protect people”

“Protection” Steve raised his eyebrows “Is that how you see this? This is protection? It’s internment”

“She’s not even a US citizen-”

“Jesus christ Tony-” Peggy raised her voice over his as she sat back in her chair for a moment.

“-They don’t grant visas to weapons of mass destruction-”

“She’s a kid!” Steve and Peggy argued back in unison.

“Give me a break!” Tony finally yelled with an exhausted look on his face. Peggy let out another deep breath and roughly rubbed her forehead.

“I’m doing what has to be done”

“What has to be done? You have to lock her up?” Peggy muttered as she looked to him.

“Yes. To keep her from getting something worse, Peggy”

Steve stared at him in a moment of silence and said “You keep telling yourself that” The room filled with silence once again, Steve walked back over to him and put the pen beside the box as he said “Hate to break up the set”

Peggy watched him walk to the door and sighed “Steve” he didn’t stop. He just opened the door “Steven would you not-” the door shut. Peggy sighed and sat back in her chair “Leave” she muttered as she watched him go and speak to Sam.

Tony looked to her as he put his glasses on “I’m sorry”

“Are you?” Peggy scoffed as she looked to him. They stared at each other for a moment, Peggy shook her head and looked away “I’m sorry, that came out sharper than intended..I know you are doing your best...I just think that...the path that you are taking to do it will end in tears. I mean not only is locking Wanda up wrong but lying to us about just makes it worse” she looked back to him and shrugged “We were close to being convinced about the accords, but things like that just shows that...there are agendas to things that we can’t stand for”

“Peggy please-”

“Tony I’m sorry, truly I am. I love you like I loved Howard, you are family to me. But I can’t stand behind you on this one, I’ve defended you through Ultron and other mistakes that have been made, you know this”

“I know and I’m grateful” Tony nodded. Peggy put her hand on his arm that rested on the table and said gently “And I’m just sorry that I can’t be behind you on this one”

Tony had to respect her decision, he knew how she genuinely wished this was different, he gave a tight smile and another nod “I know, I’m sorry too”

* * *

After a little while, Steve walked back in the room with Sam. Peggy turned and marched over to him “There was no need”

“Would you rather of me and him arguing so much that his head would have been put through the table?”

“Don’t be that guy” Peggy shook her head “ _That_ guy is not the man I married”

They stared at each other for what felt like an hour, Steve eventually untensed his body and sighed “I’m sorry” he weakly muttered “I’m just angry”

Peggy rubbed his arm and moved her body closer “I know, darling, but just please stay _civil_?” Steve lightly pressed his forehead against the top of hers as she bowed her head down slightly. Steve brushed his lips on her forehead before clearing his throat and muttering “Come on”

They both walked over to the other end of the room where they would look at the screen in the corner whilst Sam sat at the table. The screen showed Bucky in his containment chamber, with a psych sitting down _“Hello Mister Barnes, I’ve been sent by the United Nations to evaluate you...do you mind if I sit?”_

Bucky said nothing as he did so.

_“Your first name is James?”_

Sharon then came in the room and passed a sheet of paper to Sam “The receipt for your gear”

“Bird costume? Come on”

“I didn’t write it” Sharon shrugged to Sam, then looking at the worried look on her Aunt and Steve as they watched Bucky like a hawk, Sharon looked around and switched the camera to inside Bucky’s chamber so they could get a better look. Steve and Peggy both turned to her, she just gave them a nod. Steve turned back whilst Peggy did after giving Sharon a grateful smile.

_“I just want to ask you a few questions...do you know where you are, James? I can’t help you if you don’t talk to me, James”_

Peggy looked to Natasha who was looking at her over her shoulder, then slowly just looking away as she took her focus back onto Bucky. Peggy was still intrigued on the interest that Natasha had on Bucky, it shone through now more than ever.

 _“My name is Bucky”_ Bucky eventually said.

Steve and Peggy felt both their hearts skip a beat. He remembered. He didn’t look like the Bucky they know but it was clear to see that he was still in there deep down, there was hope that in time, he would get back to how he was. The happy go lucky young man who never failed to make a room burst out into laughter.

Steve looked down to the photo of Bucky that was released on the news. Something just didn’t add up. Peggy looked at him and knew that there was various things running through his mind “What?” she questioned.

“Why would the task force release this photo to begin with?”

Sharon shrugged “Get the word out. Involve as many eyes as we can”

Peggy then caught onto what Steve was getting at and said “Hm. Good way to get a man out of hiding perhaps? Set if a bomb and get your picture taken”

“You've got seven billion people looking for the Winter Soldier” Steve added.

“You're saying someone framed him to find him” Sharon nodded as she kept up with the pace of Steve's mind.

Sam then spoke up “Us three looked for the guy for two and a half years and found nothing”

“Us three didn't bomb the UN. That turns a lot of heads” Steve said.

Sharon was starting to see clear more and more on what they were all getting at. But then there was one thing to her that didn't make sense “That wouldn't guarantee that whoever framed him would get him it'd guarantee we would”

Then all of a sudden, it was like the cloud that was blocking the answer in all of their heads had moved away. Steve and Peggy snapped their heads back to the screen, both of them fixing their eyes on the psych.

“Is anyone else beginning to think that he isn’t who he claims to be?” Peggy asked in a stern tone.

_“Tell me, Bucky, you’ve seen a great deal haven’t you?”_

_“I don’t want to talk about it”_

_“You feel that if you open your mouth, the horrors may never stop”_

Peggy took a deep breath as said as she wrapped her hands around Steve’s arm “He's manipulating him” Peggy turned to Sharon “Where did you find this guy?”

Before Sharon had the chance to answer. The power went out. The screens turned dark.

“What’s happening?” Steve asked as he turned to see Sharon pressing down on the buttons of the control panel, she shook her head, Sharon looked up at them and sighed “Sub level five, east wing”

Peggy pushed Steve and nodded to Sam “Go with him”

Sam nodded at his orders and followed Steve out to get to Bucky in time. Peggy looked to Sharon “This is not good”

“No it’s not”

“Peg” Natasha put her head through in the room, she raised an eyebrow “Would you care to explain to me where your husband has run off to?”

“You know that he is the most likely person to stop Bucky”

“And then what? He takes off with him and you three run off into the sunset together”

“I am _not_ having this argument with you right now” Peggy said with a strain in her voice as she walked to the end of the table, closer to Natasha. Natasha shook her head and argued back “Not having this argument? Peggy you’re letting a fugitive escape government hands!”

“Oh for heaven’s sake, Natasha he’s as much of a victim of Hydra than you were to the Red Room!”

Natasha’s breath hitched, it was on the tip of her tongue to say how Bucky would know all about the Red Room. But that would mean uncovering the past they had together. And that was something she swore she would take to the grave “I still had to pay for what I did”

“You were taken in by Shield. Considering what he’s facing, Nat, you got off pretty bloody lightly-”

Sharon raised her hands “Okay you two can we just-”

Peggy continued “-And he is paying! He lives with it everyday”

“So do I!” Natasha raised her voice due to her frustration. Peggy stared at Natasha for a moment, they never argue. Ever. This divide was already causing friction. Sharon for one had never seen them shout at each other.

“Barnes has broke out!” An Agent called “He’s taken out all the agents upstairs”

Peggy and Natasha looked back to each other, Peggy raised her eyebrows “Can we please just put this on hold and work together?”

Natasha remained silent for a moment, like an upset child. Peggy sighed and walked over to her and put her hand on the back of the red head’s hair, giving her a quick kiss on the top corner of her forehead as she muttered “I’m sorry”

She turned and motioned Sharon to follow them.

“Evac all civilians, give me a perimeter around the building and gun ships in the air” Everett ordered.

Natasha and Peggy rushed after Tony, Natasha quickly said “Please tell me you brought a suit”

“Sure did it's a lovely Tom Ford three piece two button I’m on active duty-”

“Yes or no?” Peggy asked sharply due to her impatience

“How bout a kind of?"

Sharon then ran ahead of them and said “Follow me”

Natasha looked to Peggy “She know where’s she’s going?”

Peggy let out a brief laugh “Of course she does. She’s _my_ niece”

They followed Sharon to the ground floor, where different Agent’s had told her that Bucky had gone to. All Peggy was wondering was where on earth Steve could be.


	6. Chapter 6

They separated from Tony. Peggy looked over and saw Bucky, he wasn’t himself, he was not the Bucky she saw two hours ago. This...was The Winter Soldier. Peggy looked to Tony as he peered round. Natasha pressed down on her earpiece and informed him “We’re in position”  

Tony made his move, with his Iron glove on, he shot a force to Bucky to delay and stop his actions. As Bucky stumbled, Tony ran over to him and took another shot which sent Bucky to fall down to his knees. Bucky swung a low blow which Tony quickly prevented, Bucky stood up and took out his gun and took  shot to Tony’s head. It was a good thing those glasses of his were bulletproof. Tony threw Bucky’s hand away, Tony looked down to the gun and then whacked Bucky across the face. Bucky elbowed Tony and punched him in the abdomen, knocking him back into the table.

Sharon then ran forward and high kicked Bucky’s hips, then ducking down as he swung for her. Her leg swung over his shoulder, he grabbed hold of her and threw her down onto the table. Peggy then ran forward when Bucky began to be overpowering and hit him in a very _low_ area before kneeing him in his stomach. She went to whack the side of his head, Bucky grabbed hold of her arm.

Peggy stared at him and shook her head “Come on, Bucky stop this” Bucky threw her arm and grabbed the collar of her shirt. Peggy rolled her eyes at the fact that she had to do this but it was all she was able to do right now, she gripped his hair and tightly pulled on it. 

Bucky groaned and threw her to the wall. Peggy hit the back of her head badly, taking such a blow she struggled to shake it off.

It was then Natasha who took her shot, using her usual technique by wrapping her legs around his head and hitting him repeatedly. Bucky took hold of her and slammed her down on the table beside to where Peggy was lay, gripping tightly to her neck with his metal hand. Natasha stared at him and said through her chokes “You could at least recognize me”

Peggy looked up to Natasha as she struggled to pick herself up. 

Suddenly, T’Challa came over and kicked Bucky away from Natasha. Peggy stood up taking heavy breaths as Natasha did the same. After a moment of getting their breaths back and walking away from the broken chairs and tables, Peggy locked her eyes onto Natasha and muttered out _“Recognize you?”_

Natasha looked to Peggy and shook her head “Please don’t ask”

“I’m afraid I’m going to have to” Peggy then looked behind her to see Bucky drop from the stairs and run out the door, she then looked back to Natasha and added “When this is over”

Natasha nodded “You go after Barnes, I’ll head back with Tony and see where we can take action”

Peggy gave Natasha a nod and watched her run. Peggy looked over and saw Sharon still lay on the floor.

“Sharon” Peggy sighed out as she ran over to her. Peggy knelt down and placed her hand on the top of Sharon’s head for a moment as she asked “Are you alright?”

“I landed on a cup” Sharon muttered as she pulled the cup from under her back “Pressed into my freaking spine” she then lightly laughed. Peggy rolled her eyes with a light hearted expression and took Sharon’s hand and stood her up “Follow Natasha back”

“What about you?”

“I need to find Bucky  _ and  _ Steve. I dread to think where the hell he’s ended up”

Sharon put her hand on Peggy’s arm “You sure you don’t need me to back you up?”

“I think it’s best for you to sit this one out...Bucky is... _ unpredictable _ ”

Sharon was secretly glad she said she could sit this one out, like Peggy said. Unpredictable. Sharon let out a subtle sigh of relief and nodded “Alright. Be careful, okay?”

“Okay” Peggy whispered. Peggy looked to Sharon walk in the direction that Natasha walked in and then quickly made her way to the direction Bucky went into. Peggy could only imagine that he had gone up. So up she went.

* * *

Peggy walked out of the door to the roof top that she knew was a helipad. And the sight she saw was not one she was expecting. Steve doing his best to keep the helicopter down on the ground as Bucky attempted to escape.

“Steve!” Peggy called as she made her way up the stairs. Bucky then suddenly brought the helicopter forward to throw him off and crashed down to the helipad. Peggy ducked down as the tail of the chopper swung around. Steve looked up from pushing himself up from the ground over to Peggy. Peggy sighed and shook her head “Come here” she whispered as she motioned her hand over to her. Steve got up on his knees.

Suddenly, Bucky’s metal arm broke through the window and gripped to Steve’s neck. Peggy’s breath got caught in her throat “Shit” were the only words she managed to whisper out. What could she do? Pull his arm away? Unlikely. She noticed how the helicopter then began to slowly slip down the building.

“Double shit” she whispered. Peggy then walked forward and stood behind Steve. With one hand gripped on his arm to pull him back and the other wedged between Bucky’s hand and Steve’s neck as she tried her best to pull it away. As Steve noticed the helicopter falling down more, he couldn’t and wouldn’t let Peggy fall, Steve took one of his hands off of helicopter and pressed it against her hip, then pushing her back. Peggy fell to the floor of the helipad to then see Steve fall down with Bucky and the Helicopter. Peggy quickly stood up and looked down at the chopper crashing into the water. Peggy dropped her shoulders in a deep sigh and looked away as she muttered “For god sake”

Peggy began to walk back down the stairs and muttered to herself again “Always losing him to bloody water”

Peggy ran down the building and to the outside, she began to walk down the river side and kept her eyes locked on to the water, just waiting for Steve to pop up. When she suddenly heard the water splash from behind her. Peggy turned around to see Steve holding Bucky. He locked on eyes to her. Peggy let out a sigh of relief and looked around. No one had seen them. Peggy crouched down and stretched her arm out. Steve swam over to her and handed her Bucky. Peggy gripped onto Bucky’s shirt and dragged him out of the water.   
Lying him flat on his back she looked at him and sighed. She swept his wet hair away from his face and softly shook her head as she sat up on her knees and then looked to Steve bringing himself up out of the water. Peggy put her hand on his shoulder and hugged him tightly. Not caring at all that his clothes made hers go damp. Peggy stroked the back of his hair and kissed his cheek before they both looked down to the unconscious soldier.

“We need to get out of here. Fast” Steve said. Peggy stood up and motioned her hand to Bucky “Throw him over your shoulder, the car Sharon and I rented is just over there we can use that”

“Hey!” Steve and Peggy turned their heads and saw Sam run over to them. Sam checked behind him, he jogged over to them, out of breath “The fake psych got away”

“We can worry about that later” Peggy shook her head “Right now we have to get him into hiding”

Peggy looked up to the CIA building and just thought of how Natasha predicted to her that this would happen, she said that Peggy and Steve would take Bucky away. But it wasn’t as raindrops and roses as Natasha had plastered. They were desperate.

Steve grabbed Bucky’s arms to lift him up, he leaned down and put Bucky over his shoulder. Holding onto him securely, Steve looked to Peggy “Show us the way, baby”

Peggy nodded, she glanced once more to the building and then led the boys to the car.

When they reached the car, Peggy came down to the conclusion that the car was locked and she had no keys. The spare pair were in the car still. But that wasn’t exactly a problem for her. As Sam said how screwed they were and rambled on about how they would get caught, Steve smirked as he looked at his wife over his shoulder and then pointed to her “Sam”

Sam turned and saw Peggy sat in the driver's seat, the door opened, she sat in the driver's seat and began to hot wire the car.

“Is there anything you  _ can’t  _ do?” Sam asked with an amazed look on his face.

Without looking at him, Peggy gently shook her head and sighed out “Not really”

Steve let out a low grumbled chuckle. As the engine finally began, Peggy pulled the front seat forward, Steve lowered Bucky from his shoulder and placed him in the back. Peggy then got in the back beside Bucky as Sam rode shotgun. Peggy looked to Bucky as he remained unconscious.

Steve looked at him through the rear view mirror and muttered “God...when he knows what he’s done-”

“That’s if it actually our Bucky when he wakes up” Peggy said as she looked to Steve. Steve sighed and shrugged “We just gotta hope”

Peggy looked back to Bucky. It fell silent for a moment. Until Steve heard Peggy say “You do realise if he wakes up and he’s still in kill mode, I’m the first one gone”

Steve glanced to Peggy through the rear view mirror and shrugged “You got your will set out right?”

The only response he got from that was Peggy’s boot kicking the back of his seat.

* * *

They found an old abandoned auto shop after a half hour of driving. Steve checked it out and saw it was in the clear, he came back outside and gave them the nod. Peggy got out from the back and looked to the auto shop for a moment, with her arms folded she then looked back and watched Steve throw Bucky over his shoulder again.

Peggy walked in the building and said “We need something to contain him, just in case for when he wakes up”

“Good idea” Sam nodded as he walked ahead of her “Hey what about this?”

Steve and Peggy walked in the room he was in and saw an old piece of equipment that looked like it could work. Peggy tilted her head slightly and walked over to it, she leaned down with her arms still folded and checked it out “Magnets”

“What?” Steve asked as he lowered Bucky down from his shoulder and sat up against the wall.

Peggy looked up to him and pointed to the contraption briefly before tucking her hand back under her arm “One on the top one on the bottom”

“You think they’ll hold him?”

Peggy didn’t answer him verbally, she took the spare car keys out of her jean pockets and held them out flat in her hand and hovered them under the magnet to then have them shooting up straight away. Peggy gripped onto the key chain and tried to pull them off. But they were stuck so tightly she couldn’t “I’d say yes”

Peggy looked to Steve and nodded to the keys “Darling, could you?” 

Steve let out an amused small smile and walked over, taking them off with little effort due to the serum that ran through his veins, but still it was harder than your average magnet “Well. Better than nothing, come on”

Steve walked over and dragged Bucky by his shoulders and sat him beside the contraption, putting his arm under the magnet, the bottom one quickly held it down. Peggy turned the wheel at the back that ultimately lowered the top one like she suspected and locked him in.

All they could do now is wait for him to wake up. Sam stood by where Bucky was, said he’d keep an eye on him and called if he woke up with Steve and Peggy stood by the door and kept a lookout if they were being tracked. It was pretty clear to see however that they weren’t. Peggy took her phone from her pocket and looked at her lock screen.

A black and white photo of Steve sound asleep on the couch with a three month old Grace napping on his stomach and he held her. It may just be her favorite photo in the world. Which was a surprise since her favorite photo in the world had been that pre-serum photo of Steve that she carried with her everywhere he went. That photo was now in her camera roll and was her home screen.

Peggy went on her camera roll and clicked on the video that was filmed last summer where the whole family came together and had a big barbecue on the field outside of the Avengers home facility. Clint, the child that he is, brought a water slide that you slide on, of course you end up landing in grass and getting it stuck all over you, but Grace found it the most entertaining pastime ever. The video showed Grace lay on her stomach and Steve stood behind her, he had hold of her tiny waist and held her forward, then pulled her back, then forward again and then back again as more giggles escaped the little girl’s mouth.

 _“Go!”_ Steve yelled as he finally pushed her down the water slide, with Natasha on the other side ready to catch her. Hearing all the woo’ing from everyone watching from behind the camera, Peggy included, in attempts to make the situation sound more fun and exciting for Grace.

“I love that one” Peggy heard Steve muttered, she looked and saw her looking down at the phone over her shoulder with a warm smile on his face, he then said as he looked back up to their surroundings “That was a great day”

“Yeah it was” Peggy smiled as she looked down to her phone, seeing the still image of the end of the video being Grace’s big smile as Natasha held her up.

“Probably the last time we’d have a day like that now” Steve added.

Peggy sighed “Way to be a cynic”

“Sorry”

Peggy then stared to Natasha on her phone and muttered “We argued”

Steve looked to her, confused “What?”

“Nat and I, today we argued...it wasn’t a big argument it was brief but still we...we never argue, never in the past seven years of her being by my side”

Steve rubbed her arms from behind and rested his head against hers “It’s a tense time”

“It’s a tense  _ divide _ ” Peggy corrected.

Before Steve had the chance to respond, Sam called them over. Bucky was waking up. The pair quickly made their way over to Sam and all three walked into the room where Bucky was. Bucky groaned as he woke himself up, he heavily took his eyes to the two in front of him.

“Steve…” he looked to Peggy and muttered “...Peggy”

It surprised Peggy that Bucky said her name, they got on during the war sure but, still it felt surreal hearing him say it after all these years, especially since the last time they saw each other he was trying to kill her in the middle of the street in Washington DC.

“Which Bucky am I talking to?” Steve questioned.

Bucky took a moment, thinking on what to say to prove to him, then it hit him “Your mom’s name was Sarah…” he then grinned with amusement as he said “You used to wear newspapers in your shoes” then letting out a small laugh.

Peggy smirked as she looked down to the floor for a moment. She remembered him telling her that around the campfire when they were on a mission, seeing Steve’s cheeks flood to bright red. Bucky was the only one that knew about Steve and Peggy’s relationship and did his best to embarrass him in front of his new and  _ only  _ girlfriend.

Steve let out a relieved smile “Can’t read that in a museum”

“Just like that we’re supposed to be cool?” Sam asked through his cynical current state of mind. Peggy looked up to him and nodded “Yes we are” she said in a calm yet stern voice. It was enough to shut him up. Peggy could scare him a little. Rightfully so too.

Knowing he was going to regret asking, Bucky said “What did I do?”

Peggy licked her lip and said in a soft tone to not sound as abrupt as the word would sound “Enough”

“Oh god I knew this would happen” Bucky whispered to himself as he bowed his head down “Everything Hydra put inside me was still there...all he had to do was say the god damn words”

“Who was he?” Steve asked.

“I don’t know” Bucky muttered as he took his eyes back to his best friend.

“Bucky, people are dead” Peggy simply stated “The bombing, the set up, that doctor did all that just so he could get ten minutes with you, so we need you to do better than _ I don’t know _ ”

Bucky tried and thought for a moment “He wanted to know about Siberia...where I was kept...he wanted to know exactly where”

“Why would he need to know that?” Steve asked.

Bucky took his eyes back to Steve and said bluntly “Because I’m not the only winter soldier”

Peggy leaned her head forward a little bit, not knowing if she had just heard him correctly “I'm sorry...what?”

Bucky sighed and sat up. He looked to his arm stuck in the contraption and asked in a light sarcastic manner “May I please be let out?”

Peggy elbowed Steve which was her way of ordering him to let him out and glared to Sam to tell him to shut up and not say a word to oppose. Peggy walked to the back and turned the wheel back to lift up the top magnet, Steve grabbed hold of Bucky’s arm and slid it off of the magnet. Bucky nodded to them both “Thanks”

Steve and Peggy walked back to where they were stood “Now” Steve began his words “Tell us by what you mean with there being others”

Bucky sighed and leaned his back against the metal contraption, Peggy saw the blood that ran down his temple, as he began to talk, Peggy walked over and took the old rag that was on the working desk she found outside and began to wipe his face clean. She was such a mother. Bucky looked to her as she did so and gave her a grateful expression which she smiled at.

He explained everything to them. He was like an open book, and he remembered everything so vividly, like it was just yesterday he was there. The information the three of them learned was that there were a total of five other winter soldiers, or in other words. This would turn into a catastrophe if the  _ doctor  _ got his hands on them.

“Who are they?” Steve asked.

“Their most elite death squad. More kills than anyone in hydra history and that was before the serum”

“They all turn out like you?” Sam spoke up.

“Worse” Bucky bluntly answered with a look of remorse on his face. Thinking that they were all asking how that was possible, but they weren’t. The only person who saw Bucky as a monster was himself.

Peggy took the tag off of his face as she asked “Do you think the Doctor could control them?”

Bucky looked to her and repeated her words “Enough”

Steve sighed and looked to Sam “Said he wanted to see an empire fall” Steve then pressed the back of his head against the wall as Bucky said “With these guys he could do it. They speak thirty languages. Can hide in plain sight...infiltrate, assassinate, destabilize, they could take a whole country down in one night and you’d never see them coming”

Peggy looked to Steve as he and Sam got lost in conversation. She was brought back to reality when she heard Bucky say “It’s been a while huh?”

Peggy looked at him and smiled “Yeah, it has” Peggy took the rag away from his face as the blood was cleaned up “I think you’re good now”

Bucky looked down as he rubbed the palm of his hands together “I feel like I should apologize. For trying to kill you back in DC”

“ _ You _ didn’t try and do anything, Bucky, it wasn’t you”

“Is that what you believe or what you want me to think, Peggy?”

“It’s what I believe. And you know me well enough to know that I do not lie about my beliefs”

“That’s true” Bucky muttered.

It then dawned on Peggy, she hadn’t seen Bucky in two years, only weeks before she got pregnant. She doubted Steve would have been able to tell him about Grace. So right now, Bucky has no idea. Peggy cleared her throat and took out her phone. She said nothing, she just got up a picture of Grace and shown it to him. Bucky was confused but he just said what he thought “Hm. Cute kid”

“I’m glad you think so, because” Peggy paused as she nodded to Steve and said “She’s our daughter” Bucky’s face dropped, he sat up properly as his eyes flickered back and forth between Steve and Peggy. Peggy took her eyes to Bucky and saw the shocked look on his face. She let out a light laugh “Honest”

Bucky let out a disbelieved and shocked laugh “Wha...Peggy that’s...wow that’s amazing”

“Yeah, I got pregnant just a couple of weeks after...well you know”

Bucky shook his head with a stunned look still on his face “Wow...married and parents”

“And here we were thinking that each of us were dead”

Bucky laughed “Almost forgot about your dry humor”

“How dare you”

Bucky pointed to her and laughed again “There it is”

Peggy mumbled a laugh “I’ve missed you, and that is not a joke”

Bucky sighed and nodded, with hesitation at first, he placed his metal hand over hers and looked up to her “I missed you too...we had fun back in the day didn’t we?”

“Indeed we did”

Bucky smirked as he looked straight ahead, he then glanced to Steve and said “I’m glad he found you, he deserved someone after all the shit he’s been through, have I ever told you that?”

Peggy nodded “You have”

Bucky gulped heavily and said with a guilty expression “And I never meant to hurt you. The last thing I ever thought I’d do was lay a hand on you or Steve”

“Bucky, it’s okay, truly it wasn’t you” Peggy placed her free hand on top of his, the cold metal hitting through her body as she did and raised her eyebrows “Okay?”

Bucky stared at her for a moment and then nodded as he said in a whisper “Okay”

“You’re going to get rid of your demons, I promise...and our  _ Grace  _ has always wanted to meet her Uncle Bucky”

Bucky smiled widely as he said “Grace. Pretty name”

Peggy stared at him for a moment, she cleared her throat and brought herself to ask the thing that had been playing on her mind ever since they left the hands of the CIA “Bucky...may I ask you something?”

“Course”

Peggy looked at him in the eyes and asked “Do you know the name Natasha Romanoff?”

Bucky gulped heavily, he took a deep breath and slid his hand away from hers as he clutched them together and looked down at the floor, his jaw clenched up and shook his head “She wasn’t Natasha Romanoff when I knew her” his face then dropped, suddenly became worried, he looked to Peggy and asked in a panic “Please don’t tell me I hurt her”

Peggy shook her head “No, not really, you...you tried to choke her but...she said that you could have  _ at least recognized her. _ ..what does she mean by that? And what do you mean when  _ you knew her _ ?”

Bucky closed his eyes and sighed as he looked away, he glanced to Steve and saw him and Sam still in deep conversation. Bucky licked his bottom lip and spoke in a dry voice “I trained her...the red room...I made her into what she is...she was Natalia Alianovna back then...and we” Bucky stopped as he hitched his breath, he kept his eyes closed “Nobody could break me Peggy, nobody could make me  _ feel  _ anything” he then let out a small laugh and a warm smile “And then she came along”

Peggy eyebrows pinched together “What are you…”

“What did she say about me?” Bucky asked as he finally looked to her. Peggy shook her head “She asked me not to ask”

“Doesn’t surprise me” Bucky muttered as he looked back down to his hands “She wants to forget. Can’t blame her”

“Bucky what happened?”

Bucky took a moment, he took a deep breath and then came out with it “We fell in love”

Peggy’s face was then the one to drop, again, she didn’t know whether she heard him correctly or not, Bucky took a deep breath through his nose and stared at a corner of the room “We didn’t mean for it to happen. We were both being trained to be stone cold killers, and stone cold killers don’t fall in love but...we did...eventually they caught us. Punished us both by putting me in cryostasis. Showed her my body. I guess she’s been wanting to forget ever since”

Peggy didn’t know what to say. She was utterly lost for words. She never thought their past would be as detailed and as tragic as that. And Natasha usually tells her everything, it’s surprising how she said nothing when Bucky was first found out by herself and Steve. Peggy didn’t have chance to say anything, as Steve and Sam were done talking, Bucky quickly whispered “If she doesn’t want to have people know, then don’t say anything”

Peggy stared at him, still with a gobsmacked look on her face, Bucky then mouthed to her _“I still love her”_

“We have an idea” Steve said as he walked over to them, he went to carry on but then saw the look on Peggy’s face, he put his hand on her arm and muttered “Hey, you alright, baby?”

Peggy glanced to Bucky and shook her head as she put on a smile “Yes, sorry love I was just lost in thought, go on, what’s your idea?”

“Well. We need help in bringing down this doctor”

“Only Tony and Natasha and everyone else who’s in for the accords probably won’t be allowed to help. So we’re going to pull some strings. Get some of those who aren’t signing”

Bucky looked back and forth between them and asked “Who would that be?”

“Clint and Sam knows this guy Scott Lang...and Wanda”

“Steven-”

“She’ll be fine”

Peggy raised her eyebrows “I have no doubt she'll be fine but you’re forgetting about that little thing at home we call our _daughter_ ”

“Oh yeah congrats on the kid, man” Bucky smiled as he slapped his hand into Steve’s. Steve laughed and nodded “Thanks, Buck, you’ll love her” Steve dropped his hand back down to his side and looked back down to Peggy “And you make me sound like such a bad dad, I have a back up babysitter for Grace”

“Who? Everyone we bloody know is here”

Steve shook his head “Laura”

Peggy frowned. She didn’t really feel comfortable about bothering Clint’s poor wife who already had three children on her hands. She leaned her arms down on her knees “Steve I don’t know-”

“Would you rather we be a man down?”

“ _ Woman _ down and I know but Laura-”

“Will be fine with it”

Steve got out his phone, Peggy shook her head “Steven, we aren’t finished”

“I’m dialing”

“Don’t dial”

Steve held the phone to his ear “It’s ringing”

“Hang up”

Steve waited for a moment and then smiled “He answered. Clint. Hey it’s Steve” Peggy watched him walk away and then groaned “God I hate him”

“Wish I had a woman hate me as much as you hate him” Sam said, Peggy looked at him with a small amused smirk and then looked back to Steve “Is Sharon seeing anybody?”

Peggy looked back at Sam and said calmly “Go near my niece and I’ll throttle you”

Sam glared to Bucky who let out a small amused laugh. Sam crossed his arms and sighed and he then changed the subject “You think they’ll be hunting us? As in Tony and Natasha”

Peggy looked to Bucky, then back to Sam and shrugged as she said in a dry cracked voice “I don’t know”

“Can’t imagine you and Natasha in a fight” Sam admitted, then raising his eyebrows and saying with a small amused smile “You’re more like lovers than fighters”

Peggy let out a small laugh and then let out a deep breath, lightly shaking her head and saying “Well, all we can hope is that it won’t get so far that I’d have to fight her. Because...I’d never want to bring myself to do that”

“We all wouldn’t” Bucky muttered. Peggy looked at him.  _ We.  _ It wasn’t hard for Peggy to understand that  _ We  _ was just a code word for ' _ I' _ .


	7. Chapter 7

Wanda tucked Grace into bed and stroked her hair softly as the little girl laid in bed “Goodnight, angel” she whispered. Going to stand up and leave the room, Grace sat up in her bed and called her back by saying “Mommy sings”

Wanda turned and raised an eyebrow “She sings? Sings you to sleep?”

Grace nodded as she sunk back down in her bed. Wanda slowly walked back over to her and knelt beside her bed “What did she sing?”

Grace couldn’t pronounce the proper title, but she just picked the easiest words from the chorus “Dilly dilly”

Wanda smiled, she knew what song Grace was talking about. _ Lavender’s blue _ . She had actually heard Peggy sing it now that she thought about it, the nights she past Grace’s bedroom and peeked through the crack of the slightly opened door to see Peggy stroking Grace’s hair as she softly sang, watching Grace’s eyes slowly drop.

“Okay, I will do my best. My voice is not as nice as you mommy’s though”

“That’s okay” Grace mumbled as she wriggled in the bed and made herself more comfortable. Wanda began stroking the girl’s hair, and just as she was about to sing. Wanda heard a loud bang coming from outside. Sounding like some sort of explosion. Wanda looked back down to Grace and said in a calm voice “Stay here, I’ll be right back”

Wanda stood up and walked out into the living area to see Vision looking out the window to the fire at the distance, she walked over to him and said as she kept her eyes focused on the window “What is it?”

“Stay here please” Vision softly ordered as he floated through the wall to outside.

Wanda heard someone behind her. Footsteps too loud to be Grace. Male. Wanda acted fast and levitated the knife over to the intruder. Clint stood still with the knife pointed at his forehead and smirked as he knocked it down “Guess I should’ve knocked”

Wanda let out a sigh of relief and asked as she walked over to him “What are you doing here?”

“Disappointing my kids” Clint took out an arrow and shot it against the wall, the arrow latched on by digging into it. He then took out another one and shot to the kitchen counter “Supposed to go water skiing” he took Wanda’s hand “Cap needs our help, come on”

“What about Grace?”

“Don’t worry, we’re dropping her off at the farm with Laura”

“Clint!” Vision called as he came back “You should not be here”

Clint turned around “Really? I retire for like what five minutes and it all goes to shit”

“Please consider the consequences of your actions”

“Okay...they're considered”

Vision moved further to then become electrocuted by Clint’s arrows “Okay we gotta go” Clint ran towards the door, only to realize that Wanda wasn’t next to him, he turned and saw her still stood where they were.

He pointed “It’s this way”

Wanda looked down to her hands “I’ve caused enough problems”

Clint sighed, he hated being the pep talk guy. Since everyone found out he was a father they expect him to be the father of the group almost. Clint jogged back over to her “You gotta help me, Wanda...look you wanna mope you can go to high school , you wanna make amends you get off your ass”

Clint looked over Wanda’s shoulder and saw Vision over power the electric volts that were attacking him “Shit” Clint protectively moved Wanda to the side and shot an arrow at Vision that flew straight through him. He tried fighting him over and over again. Vision was so strong he snapped Clint’s baton. Then wrapping his arms around Clint from behind and saying “Clint. You can’t over power me”

“I know I can’t...but she can”

Vision looked up to see Wanda, with her red glowing mist levitating in her hands. Wanda stood in front of them and warned him off.

“Vision. That’s enough let him go...I’m leaving”

“I can’t let you” Wanda added even more power as she controlled him, making him let go of Clint who fell to the ground. And then forcing Vision down on his knees as he began to break through the floor “If you do this. They will never stop being afraid of you”

“I can’t control their fear. Only my own”

With those words Wanda dropped Vision down and forced him down floor after floor until she knew that he would he at a distance enough for them to get out of here. Hurting him made her feel like crying. He was always so good to her and caring, he could always make her smile and laugh and feel safe. Even when she was forced to be here, she was glad that it was Vision who was with her.

Clint stood up and looked down the steep hole, then looking to Wanda “Come on, we gotta drop the kid off and then we have one more stop”

Wanda glanced down the hold for a moment longer and then followed Clint. Clint walked into Grace’s room, seeing the two year old sat up on her knees with worry on her face. She hadn’t seen Clint for a while, he softly smiled and knelt down to her level “Hey Grace. Remember me?”

Grace nodded and smiled “Uncle Clint”

“Phew. Good. Else this would have been much harder to deal with” Clint sighed. Grace looked over Clint’s shoulder and saw Wanda pack a bag. Clint put his hand on her shoulder and said “Grace. I’ve been talking to your mommy and daddy, they want us to take you to stay with my wife and my kids for a little bit, Wanda and I are going to help them”

“Oh” Grace mumbled as she looked to Wanda again “Hm.  _ Kids _ ?” Grace said with uncertainty.

“Yeah kids, I have a two sons and a daughter, my youngest boy is just about a year younger than you. You’ll like them” he smiled.

Grace remembered what Steve said, He asked her to be a good girl. And being a good girl meant doing as Clint and Wanda asked and going with them to wherever it was they would take her. To add to the attempts of making this exciting Clint said “You’ll like it. We live on a farm near lots of horsies and cows”

Grace smiled. Kind of like a low budget zoo.

Wanda zipped the bag and said “I packed all of your favorite clothes and things to play with” she walked over and held out her arms “Do you want me to carry you?”

Grace nodded and stretched her arms out.

“Okay” Wanda whispered as she took Grace in her arms and rested her on her hip with her arms wrapped around her, she looked to Clint and nodded “Let’s go then”

Clint nodded and began to walk out the room “She’s really easy going”

Wanda looked to Grace and shrugged “When you have parents like she does, you’re bound to be good”

* * *

“I don’t think you understand the concept of a getaway car” Sharon dryly teased as Steve and Peggy walked over to her from their hold beetle.

“You’re the one who rented it” Peggy laughed as pointed to her.

“Ah. Knew it’d be my fault”

Steve let out a quiet chuckle and shook his head “Well. It’s low profile”

“Good. Cause this stuff tends to draw a crowd” Sharon stated as she lifted up the boot, showing Steve and Peggy all of their gear. Including Peggy’s suit that she had left in their bag that they packed back in London. For one, Peggy was thankful for Sharon’s snooping.

“We owe you again” Steve said as he looked to her. Sharon shrugged “Keeping a list”

She then looked to Bucky and nodded to him as she looked back to them “You know he kind of tried to kill me”

Peggy smirked as Steve said “Sorry”

“We’ll put it on the list” Peggy dryly teased. Sharon looked to her and let out an amused expression. Peggy stared at her niece and said with an ounce of worry in her tone “Sharon. They’ll come looking for you”

“I know. And it was my choice. I don’t regret helping  _ family _ ”

Steve and Peggy let out a warm smile. Peggy rubbed Sharon’s arm “Thank you Sharon”

Sharon smiled and whispered “Anytime Aunt Peg”

Peggy grinned and pulled her niece in for a tight loving embrace. Both women shutting their eyes as they let the moment last. Peggy couldn’t help but feel guilty “Michael is damning me up there for making his granddaughter go on the run”

Sharon laughed breathlessly as she rested her head on Peggy’s shoulder “I think he’d be kinda proud that I’m getting myself into the troubles you got yourself into”

“Perhaps” Peggy muttered with a smile as they pulled away. Peggy placed her hand on Sharon’s cheek and whispered “Take care of yourself”

“You too. When all this is over, call me yeah?”

“Of course” Sharon looked over Peggy’s shoulder and smiled to Steve “Steve”

Steve smiled “Thanks for everything”

“Seriously, anytime” Sharon patted his arm and then let out a sigh as she raised her eyebrows to them both “Well. I better get going”

Steve and Peggy both nodded. They took all their stuff out of the boot of Sharon’s car, for now they placed it on the floor beside them as they watched her drive off, Peggy went to pick up the gear, but Steve took hold of her arm “Hey”

Peggy looked back up, into his eyes “Hey”

“You do know that Michael would be proud of you?”

Peggy smiled and briefly touched his cheek “I know”

“Cause I sure as hell am”

Peggy looked at him, with nothing but love in her eyes, she loosely gripped onto his shirt at his waist and looked down at her hands as he said “I couldn’t have done this without you”

Peggy looked back up at him, she rubbed her lips together as she tried to contain her grin through her heart feeling like it could burst. She didn’t know why her eyes were filling up, but they were, Peggy tilted her head and rubbed his chest as she whispered “I love you so much”

“I love you too” Steve whispered, taking a step even closer to her and cupping her face, Peggy’s hands gripped back onto his waist as Steve’s lips pressed against hers, their tongues brushing together as he pulled her face even closer as their kiss deepened. Peggy rubbed her hands against his waist as their lips pulled away and pressed their foreheads together, with their eyes still closed, Peggy let out a flustered grin and said as she caught her breath “”I’ve been waiting  _ hours  _ for that kind of kiss”

Steve let out grumbled chuckle “Sorry. Was too busy getting arrested and falling off of buildings”

“Excuses excuses” Peggy muttered as she teased, Peggy patted his chest as she pulled away and opened her eyes, tucking her hair behind her ear she bent down and grabbed Sam’s suit and her suit “We better start packing”

Peggy glanced to Sam and Bucky, totally forgetting they had an audience. To save the embarrassment, she looked away from them, as if pretending they weren’t there. Sam and Bucky looked back to Steve, who still had his eyes on Peggy. Looking like a cartoon with those heart eyes for a moment. Steve looked to Sam and Bucky as they saw them both nodding their heads with impressed smiles on their faces.

Steve rolled his eyes and gave them a look to tell them to knock it off before grabbing the rest of the gear and putting it in the boot. Peggy opened the door and motioned her hand to Bucky as she said “Bucky. Why’re you sat on my side?”

“He won’t move his chair up” Bucky said as he pointed to Sam. Peggy looked to Sam and raised her eyebrows to him “Sam. Move it  _ now _ ”

Sam cleared his throat and nodded as he did exactly that “Yes ma’am”

Bucky raised his eyebrows to her, seeing how her intimidating nature still stands. Peggy got in the back with Bucky. Pulling the chair back, Steve sat in the front and turned on the engine. Peggy sighed as she sat back in her seat “Did Clint say he was at the airport?”

“Well he said he was on his way so I presume he’s there by now”

“Good, well let’s not waste anymore time”

Sam muttered a laugh “Like how? Making out”

Bucky pursed his lips to stop himself from laughing. Peggy glared at him as Steve punched his arm.

* * *

They made their way to the parking lot level where they saw Clint’s van and pulled up next to it. They all piled out. Like watching people get out of a clown car.

“Cap” Clint greeted as he walked over to them. Steve smiled and shook his head as he said “You know I wouldn’t of called if I had any other choice”

“Hey man you’re doing me a favor” Clint looked at Peggy, who walked over to them. He smiled and leaned to her, giving her a friendly kiss on the cheek “Hey, Peg”

Peggy rubbed Clint’s back “Hi, Clint”

Clint raised his eyebrows and held his hands up to them as he gave them reassurance “Don’t you guys worry we left Grace smiling and giggling, my Libby is loving the role of being a big sister to a little girl already”

“Good, I’m glad to hear it, and you did thank Laura for us?” Peggy asked.

“Yeah and she said think nothing of it she’s happy to help” Clint smiled. Peggy grinned and let out a sigh of relief as Steve smiled to her and kissed the top of her head. Peggy looked over to Wanda “Wanda” she walked over to her “You have to know that Steve and I had no idea that-”

“I know, don’t worry. Besides. It was time for me to get off my ass”

Peggy raised her eyebrows at her, feeling rather proud and impressed.

“How bout our other recruit?” Steve asked. Clint walked over to the van and said as he opened the door “He’s raring to go. Had to put a little coffee in him but”

They looked at Scott Lang jumping up from his sleep in the seat “Should be good” Clint finished his sentence. Peggy looked at the man that Sam had recruited, and not to sound judgmental. But you wouldn’t peg him a superhero.

“What time zone is this?” he asked as he stepped out the van.

“Come on” Clint muttered, then pushing a starstruck Scott forward towards Steve and repeated “Come on”

Scott stared at Steve in front of him and hardly knew what to say. Scott hitched his breath as he began to shake Steve’s hand “Ca...Captain America”

“Mr Lang”

Peggy watched as Scott continued to vigorously shake Steve’s hand due to his excitement “It’s an honor...I’m shaking your hand too long” Scott dropped his hand “This is awesome” he turned around to Wanda and Peggy and pointed to him “Captain America”

Peggy raised her eyebrows to him and slowly nodded as she played along, let him have his fanboy moment, he looked at Peggy and Wanda and pointed to them “I know you two too, you’re great”  

Scott looked back to Steve and gripped hold of his shoulders. Peggy watched him do so and moved her hand away from against Wanda’s back and said as she crossed her arms “Is it wrong that I’m getting a little jealous?”

Wanda just let out an amused laugh through her nose.

“Look I wanna say. I know you know a lot of super people so...thinks for thanking of me”

Peggy and Wanda looked to each other. Wanda whispered “You can tell he doesn’t get to do this often”

Peggy lightly snorted a laugh and whispered back “Grace has a better time dealing with  _ super people _ ”

Scott pointed to Sam “Hey man”

“What’s up tic tac?”

“Uh good to see you...look what happened last time-”

“Was a great audition but it’ll never happen again” Sam laughed.

“Clint tell you what we’re up against?” Steve asked. Scott looked back to him “Something about some...psycho assassins”

Peggy walked over to Steve and wrapped her arms around his right one. Scott looked at them and then laughed as he nodded “Oh yeah you two are yeah. _Cute_. Must be a cool kind of... _couples skill building_ ”

“That’s...that’s one way of looking at it” Peggy laughed.

“Oh they have their methods alright” Bucky said from behind them as he stood by the car. Peggy turned her head to him, leaning it against Steve’s arm, she subtly shot up her middle finger at him. Bucky silently laughed as he put his hand over his fake wounded heart. Peggy rolled her eyes and turned her head back around to get back in focus of the conversation.

“...So if you come with us you’re a wanted man”

Scott shrugged and said bluntly “Yeah well, what else is new?”

Peggy lifted her head up and whispered to Sam “Where did you find this guy?”

Sam shook his head and held his hand up. As a way of saying _ you don’t want to know _ .

“We need to get moving” Bucky called.

“Got a chopper lined up” Clint added.

Suddenly there was an announcement in the airport. Speaking in German. Peggy and Bucky both said at the same time “They’re evacuating the airport” then giving each other a brief impressed look.

“Since when could you speak German?” Bucky question. Peggy walked over to the car and said “Since being recruited in that little war we fought in together”

Sam looked to Steve “It’s Stark”

Peggy and Bucky took their eyes to Steve, he thought to himself for a moment and then ordered everyone “Suit up”

Peggy gave him a certain look as he walked over to her, Steve shook his head “Don’t”

“Suit up means you’re ready for a fight”

“Yeah it might come to it” Steve said as he opened up the boot.

“Do you not think if we approach Tony without any of our suits on then we won’t seem as threatening to them, and that we just want to talk”

“Really?” Steve laughed as he looked to her “You really think they’ll have a sit down tea with us and talk about our differences?”

“Well now you’re just being an arse”

Steve sighed and shook his head as he looked down to his suit that he had gripped in his hands “I’m sorry baby I really am but...it’s too far gone, I’m going to try and convince them still but... _ this _ is just”

“Precaution” Peggy finished his sentence with a sigh. Steve looked at her “You still love me?”

Peggy looked at him and rolled her eyes as she took her suit out of his hand. Softly chuckling as he watched her walk away. He takes that as a yes.

They all went into the scummy toilets that was in the parking lot. Most of them holding their breaths to not faint from the smell. Peggy walked out of the bathroom, holding onto her hair to the side to show her bare back and looked to Steve who was suited and booted beside Bucky, she turned her back “Could you?” she asked as she turned her back to him.

Bucky raised his eyebrows “Sure”

Steve punched Bucky in the stomach as he walked over to his wife and zipped her up.

Steve pressed his head against the side of hers “Dog tags?”

Peggy smiled and lifted them up from under her suit “Never take them off”

“Good” Steve kissed her head. The whole team regrouped. Steve crossed his arms and looked to Peggy “What’s our play?”

“Well, we don’t want to seem as if we want to threaten Tony to back down. You and I will go out and talk to him, Bucky and Sam go up in the airport and scope out, keep Bucky in the shadows we don’t want him to be visible, if we do that then Tony or Rhodey or whoever the hell is here will go for him to arrest him. Clint and Wanda go up a few more levels behind us, just for precaution”

Clint nodded and saluted “Aye aye, Director”

“Di-what?” Bucky said as his eyebrows flew up, he looked to Peggy who cocked her eyebrow up at him and slowly nodded. Bucky shook his head and whispered “Jesus, you didn’t mess around after the war huh?”

“No, I certainly didn’t” Peggy gloated, then looked back to the group and nodded “ _ That’s _ our play”

They then heard the soaring sound of Tony and Rhodey getting close. Peggy and Steve looked to each other “Better get moving” Steve noted. They all split up and went to their positions.

 


	8. Chapter 8

  
Steve and Peggy walked together out to the jet way, then seeing the helicopter. Peggy sighed and said “Or we could just make a run for it to that?”

“Why not?” Steve said. They both picked up the pace and began to run over to the chopper. Only to have one of Tony’s little toys defuse it. Steve and Peggy halted as Tony and Rhodey dropped to the floor.

“Wow it’s so weird how you run into people at the airport” Tony said with blunt sarcasm as he removed his iron mask “Don’t you think that’s weird?”

“Definitely weird” Rhodey answered.

Peggy saw the look on Tony’s face and saw how pissed he was, but also how he was hurt. Hurt that she and Steve just took off, leaving him to take the punches from Ross as the dust settled.

“Hear us out, Tony” Steve said “That Doctor, the psychiatrist...he’s behind all of this”

“He’s after-” Peggy’s words came to a stop as T’Challa landed beside them, in this Black Panther outfit once again. T’Challa stood up tall and proud “Captain...Agent”

Peggy would correct him. But he is kind of a King.

“Your highness” Steve and Peggy said in unison as they gave him a respectable nod.

“Anyway” Tony interrupted “Ross gave me thirty six hours to bring you guys in” Tony then looked to Peggy and nodded “Yeah. That means you too. And that was twenty four hours ago...can you help a brother out?”

Steve shook his head “You’re after the wrong guy”

“Your judgement is escute. Your old war buddy killed innocent people yesterday”

Peggy finally had her chance to say what she was going to say before and fought Bucky’s corner “And there are five more super soldiers just like him, we can’t let the Doctor find them first Tony...we just can’t”

“Peggy” Peggy turned at the voice of her best friend stood behind her. Seeing how much she was hating this “Stand down. You know what’s about to happen. Do you two really want to punch your way out of this one?”

“Why...will _you_ be throwing the punches?” Peggy raised her eyebrows to her.

Natasha just shot her a look and shook her head. It fell silent for a moment, as Steve took his eyes back to Tony. Tony sighed and cleared his throat “Alright I’ve ran out of patience...underoos!”

All of a sudden, spider webbing gripped onto Steve’s shield, locking Steve’s hands together seeing a boy in a red and blue suit take it into his hands and land in front of them. Young Peter Parker looked at the people in front of him. Peggy and Steve looked to him, they recognised him. Peggy turned to Natasha who walked beside her and asked “Is that the boy we saw videos of on the internet?”

“Yep” Natasha muttered.

“Great job kid” Tony complimented.

“Thanks! Coulda stuck the landing it’s just new suit- wait it’s nothing Mr Stark it’s perfect thank you”

“Yeah we don’t really need to start a conversation”

“Okay…” Peter took a deep breath and saluted to Steve “Ca-Captain...big fan…” then pointing to himself “Spider-man” he looked to Peggy “Oh you! Hey-hey Miss... _Mrs_ Rogers you-erm prettier than in the pictures. Not that I have any pictures! I just well you-”

“Yeah talk about it later” Tony stopped him from saying anything more.

Peter took another deep breath and just finished over his rambling with a little wave “Hey everyone”

“Good job” Tony nodded.

“You’ve been busy” Steve said, trying to make the vibe of this situation as friendly and civil as possible. But Tony was a little too pissed off to do that as he snapped back “And you’ve been a complete idiot! Dragging in Clint, rescuing Wanda from a place she didn’t even wanna leave a safe place”

“Yes she seemed extremely distraught having the choice in stepping outside of that compound”

“Peggy don’t you see that I’m trying to keep!...I’m trying to keep you both from tearing the avengers apart”

“You did that when you signed” Steve said bluntly, feeling himself getting defensive and protective from Tony trying to add any blame on Peggy. All she wanted was peace, if he could see how torn she has been over these past few days he wouldn’t have dared to say that. Peggy closed her eyes for a moment as those words came out of his mouth, just knowing that it was just adding fuel to the fire. She looked up to Tony, he was now more hurt than angry.

“Alright we’re done. You’re gonna turn Barnes over and you’re going to come with us now because it’s _us_ ” Peggy took her eyes to Natasha, her eyes looking as if they’ve been glazed due to them filling up with tears. Natasha tilted her head at Peggy with a sad expression written across her face as she put her hand on Peggy’s arm. They were a family, a family that was now being broken into little pieces.

“We’re squadded J-Sock guys with no compunction about being impolite” he stared at Steve, after all it was him that was taking lead in keeping Bucky away from the government, and with desperation in his voice he whispered “Come on”

_“We found it” Sam said over ear piece “The quinjet’s in hanger five north runway”_

“Peggy?” Natasha muttered.

Peggy looked to Natasha and whispered “I’m sorry, Natasha”

Steve raised his arms up high. Clint aimed and shot his arrow through the webbing, freeing Steve’s hands. Tony’s mask covered his face again. A conversation about this was well and truly out of the picture.

“Alright, Lang” Steve said.

Peter look down at the sound of pitter patter on the shield “You guys there’s something-”  
He was shut up as Scott enlarge himself from the shield, knocking Peter away. Scott ran over with Steve’s shield and said as he handed it to him “I believe this is yours Captain America”

Tony took off to get Wanda before Peggy could even have the chance of stopping him.

“Barnes is mine!” T’Challa exclaimed as he began to run. Peggy ran after him and swiped her legs under his as Steve’s shield knocked his back. Steve grabbed T’Challa and threw him back. T’Challa stood up and looked at them “Get out of my way. Both of you. I won’t ask a second time”

Peggy ran forward and took a blow to T’Challa’s abdomen as Steve ran forward and knocked him back with his shield. T’Challa pushed Peggy to the side and aimed more for Steve. But seeing his wife being pushed just added fuel to his fire. Steve threw a punch across T’Challa’s face and Peggy ran behind him and kneed him in the back. T’Challa dropped down to his knee. Peggy looked at him and said through a heavy breath “Stand down”

“I never stand down” T’Challa said as he stood back up and threw more punches, then dragging his metal claws down Steve’s shield. Steve pushed him back once again and then saw Rhodey come over with electric baton. Steve put Peggy behind him as he raised his shield up to it. Rhodey flew forward, Peggy jumped up and booted Rhodey, causing him to drop on the floor, his baton breaking in half.

Peggy was grabbed, before she hit them. She stopped herself when she saw it was Natasha.  
“Almost” Natasha raised an eyebrow. Peggy let out a sigh and shook her head. Peggy then let out a small smile, Natasha returned the same exchange, then looking to something flying to them, a truck that was to be enlarged and aimed right at them.

“Shit!” Natasha grabbed Peggy again and lunged them both to the left hand side. The truck  set on fire as it hit the ground. Peggy took deep breaths and looked up at Steve’s stunned face as he looked to Scott “Aw man I thought it was a water truck”

Scott looked to Steve “Sorry” he then looked to Peggy who helped Natasha up and walked over to them, Scott held his hand up “Sorry there Mrs Captain America!”

Steve placed his hand on her cheek briefly as he muttered “You alright?”

“I’m fine” Peggy nodded, then seeing Steve’s slightly unconvinced face, she rolled her eyes and nodded again “Honestly, I’m fine” she pushed him forward and the three of them ran back.

Scott looked at her and repeated with a nervous laugh “Thought it was a water truck”

All heading towards the jet. Almost there, they were stopped by a yellow ray burning into the concrete at the feet. Drawing a line. Looking up and seeing Vision.

“Captain Rogers. I know you believe what you’re doing is right. But for the collective good you must surrender now”

They then faced Tony, along with his five team members standing beside him. It fell silent as they all stared at one and other, Peggy couldn’t help but notice how Bucky and Natasha had their eyes fixed on each other. With her eyes still on Tony, Peggy leaned towards Steve ever so slightly and muttered “Steve, what now?”

Steve stared at his opposition and said after a moment of silence “We fight”

Natasha watched as Steve began to walk, with the rest of them following him. She sighed and said in a quiet tone as if only speaking to herself “This is gonna end well” she and Tony began to walk with the rest of them. Soon their walking turned into running.

Peggy didn’t want anyone to hurt Natasha, and Natasha didn’t want anyone to hurt Peggy. So it was only basic logic that they went for each other. At least then if they hurt each other, it’s hurting through love. Peggy went to kick Natasha’s knee to make her fall, Natasha grabbed Peggy’s foot and flipped her back. Peggy spun in the air and landed successfully on her feet.

Natasha couldn’t help but looked impressed. Natasha swung a punch that Peggy ducked, then grabbing Natasha’s arm and went to flip her over her back, as she did. Natasha wrapped her legs around Peggy and brought her down with her. Natasha lay on her back with Peggy hovering over her, she nodded to the Brit and asked “We’re still friends, right?”

Peggy tilted her head and smirked “Well, it depends on how hard you hit me”

An amused smirk escaped Natasha’s lips before wrapping her legs around Peggy’s neck and turned her over as she knelt up and launched a kick to Peggy, only to have her foot stopped by the power of Wanda. Wanda quickly threw Natasha to the side, causing her to hit against a storage base and fall to the floor.

Peggy looked to Wanda who raised her eyebrows and said “You’re pulling your punches”

Peggy just nodded to her and ran over to Natasha as Wanda went on to help the others. Although she was grateful for Wanda’s help. She couldn’t help but worry about her friend. Peggy knelt down to Natasha “Nat?”

“Shit, that hurt”

“Guess we got a little carried away, huh?” Peggy muttered as she placed her hand on to of her friends head, Peggy grabbed Natasha’s arm and pulled her up as she stood up “Come on, light weight”

Natasha cracked her back and groaned “Sometimes, I hate this fucking job”

“You’re not the only one” Peggy looked over and spotted Steve fighting Peter. She put her hands on her hips as she watched him, dropping a heavy runway section on him which made her jump. Peter was strong enough to hold it up.

“You know when this is over, you and I are going to a spa or something…” Natasha looked up from leaned her hands down on her knees to see her now standing alone “Peggy?”

Peggy caught up with Steve “Did you seriously just drop a four hundred pound part of a runaway on a seventeen year old?”

“He’s stronger than he looks, hey and he’s from Queens!"

Peggy pinched her eyebrows together as she looked at him and then let out a sarcastic gasp “Oh so now it’s just New York banter!”

“I’m just saying”

“Well don’t right now”

“Why’re you so grumpy?”

Peggy scoffed “I’ll pretend you didn’t just ask me that question”

The pair of them hid behind a plane staircase, with Bucky next to them at a distance he said “We gotta go. That guy’s probably in Siberia by now”

“We have to draw out the flyers” Peggy stated. With Steve in agreement he said “Peg and I will take Vision and Rhodey. You get to the jet”

_“No all three of you get to the jet!” Sam ordered “The rest of us aren’t getting out of here”_

_“As much as I hate to admit it. If we’re gonna win this one. Some of us are gonna have to lose it”_ Clint added. Giving that extra piece of dad wisdom that he was known for.

_“This isn’t the real fight Steve”_

Steve felt Peggy grip his hand, he looked at her, she gave him a nod as she agreed with Sam and Clint, then looking to Bucky who gave him the same act of approval.

“Alright Sam, what’s the play?”

_“We need a diversion, something big”_

_“I got something kinda big”_ Scott chimed in _“But I can’t hold it very long, on my signal run like hell and if I tear myself in half don’t come back for me”_

Bucky looked at them, confused and kind of worried “He’s gonna tear himself in half?”

Peggy held her hand to her ear “Scott, are you sure about this?”

_“I do it all the time! I mean once. In a lab and I passed out”_

Peggy sighed and shrugged “Well, we haven’t got any better ideas”

Bucky began to walk over to them and shrugged “Yeah but what’s the signal-”

All of a sudden, they show the sight of Scott turning into a freaking giant.

“God almighty” Peggy whispered as she stared at him. Steve stared at Scott a moment longer and then said “I guess that’s the signal”

Peggy slapped Steve’s back and looked to Bucky “Come on boys, let’s not waste anymore time” The three of them began to run to the jet. Trying to keep in the background as long as possible, but then getting spotted by T’Challa who began chasing over them.

“Clint” Peggy called over earpiece.

 _“Yes ma’am already on it”_ he answered as he made his way over to them as they ran past Scott. Delaying T’Challa for as long as possible. They could see the jet in plain sight, they didn’t look back they just carried on running. Wanda stood in front of them and used her powers to fight off Rhodey, as Peggy passed her she gave her a grateful nod. Nearing the hanger even closer. The watch tower began to fall down as Vision cut through it. Thinking it was all over, they were proven wrong as Wanda turned her powers on the falling tower and held it up for them.

Steve and Peggy both looked at her over their shoulders for a moment and then proceeded to look forward and run. The tower soon came crashing down through Rhodey sending a painful sound through Wanda’s ear, causing her to drop it. Peggy lunged herself forward as Steve and Bucky just made it. They could afford to just run through the serum in their veins. Lucky bastards she said in her head.

The three of them stopped as Natasha stood in front of them. Natasha sighed and said as she shook her head, looking at Steve “You’re not gonna stop”

“You know I can’t”

Natasha let out another sigh and held up her hand as her widow bites sparked up “I’m gonna regret this”

Peggy took a step forward and pleaded “Nat-”

Natasha shifted her hand and shot her bites at T’Challa, who was behind them. The three of them looked back to her, surprised. Natasha just stared at Peggy and Steve, avoiding eye contact with Bucky at all cost and said bluntly “Go”

They wasted no time and headed to the jet. As Bucky passed her, he couldn’t help but stop and grab her free hand, causing her to look at him.

Bucky stared at her for a moment and said with a wobble in his voice “Natalia…”

Natasha finally let out a watery smile and said breathlessly “Hello, James”

His expression softened as he frowned and shook his head “You don’t have to do this”

Natasha sent another bite to T’Challa with her eyes still on Bucky and slowly gave him a nod “I want to do this, I can’t let them…” she stopped as she sighed and cut to the chase “Just go”

Bucky knew better than to argue with her, he ran to the jet as Peggy got in the jet. After Bucky climbed in, Peggy looked through the side window, to look at Natasha one last time and saw how Bucky had distracted her. T’Challa ran towards her, with his claws out.

“No” Peggy whispered to herself. Peggy didn’t even think about it, she jumped down out of the jet as it lifted in the air and ran towards her.

“Peg!” Bucky called as he looked through the gap that had now closed as Steve pulled the wheels up, the jet lifting off of the ground unaware that his wife had jumped out of the jet. But now he clearly had the attention of it, Steve looked at Peggy through the front window and shouted her name “Peggy! What are you doing?!”

Peggy jumped and gripped T’Challa’s shoulders, throwing him away from Natasha.

Peggy looked up to Steve through the window, she waved her hand at him and said with tears in her eyes “Go” she turned and kicked T’Challa in the stomach as he ran towards her again. Hearing Steve shout _“No!”_ over the ear piece.

“If you don’t go now then you never will!” Peggy argued back as she and Natasha continued to fight T’Challa back. Peggy gulped heavily and took a deep breath “Darling I love you, which is why I am saying this. Get out of here now. There isn’t time. I won’t be able to get on the jet now. Take Bucky and go! Director's orders”

Steve gulped heavily, feeling his eyes prickle. He took a deep breath as the jet began to move out. He shook his head as said _“I love you”_

Peggy looked at the plane as Natasha pushed T’Challa away. She nodded as a tear ran down her cheek “Come back for me”

_“I always do”_

Natasha stood in front of Peggy, in a protective stance as Peggy kept her eyes on the jet.

“I said I’d help you find him not catch him. There’s a difference”

T’Challa shook his head “There will be consequences”

“There’s already been one” Peggy snapped as she turned to him with tears running down her cheeks. Natasha put her hand on Peggy’s arms to stop her arm starting anymore fights. T’Challa let it be, he saw how hurt Peggy was, and she wasn’t an enemy, not really anyway in his eyes. He just climbed over the broken tower and left them. Natasha sighed and brought her in for a tight embrace “You shouldn’t have”

“If I didn’t, You would have been seriously hurt” Peggy muttered as she rested her chin on Natasha’s shoulder. She took a deep breath and shook her head.

They both heard the sound of explosives going off in the air. Peggy pulled back and quickly climbed up over the broken tower to see Tony and Rhodey going after the jet with Sam behind them, setting off small explosives to try and delay them. Suddenly seeing the yellow ray from Vision shoot up in the sky to hit Sam, which made Peggy hitched her breath. Sam quickly dodged it, instead Rhodey was hit. Turning off his suit, he could no longer fly. Beginning to fall.

“Oh god” Peggy said in a gasp.

Natasha shook her head and muttered “No, no no someone catch him, someone catch him”

They watched how Tony and Sam did their best to get to him in time. But Rhodey came crashing down to the ground. Peggy’s free hand flew to her mouth as her other remained clutched with Natasha’s. They both stood there in silence. After a moment, Peggy contacted Sam “Sam...is he?”

“Alive. But he’s not waking up. Wait Peggy...are you not on the jet?”

“No” Peggy shook her head “No I’m not” Peggy dropped her hand. The two women made their way down the destroyed tower. A sudden appearance of three vans came speeding to the parking lot. With police bursting out with their guns up high. Someone must’ve called in, perhaps someone who was driving past the airport and saw the fight. Or maybe Secretary Ross just figured from hearing about the airport being evacuated.

“All accomplices of Captain Steve Rogers surrender now!” An officer yelled. Natasha stared at them as she took a deep breath, then seeing Peggy beginning to walk over to surrender. Natasha shook her head and grabbed hold of her arm as she pleaded “No. No Peggy don’t”

“I don’t have a choice”

“You’re no criminal”

Peggy softly smiled and shrugged “Yes, I am, as far as the government goes, I am”

Natasha took a deep breath and took a step closer “Then I am too”

“No! Natasha do not tell them what you did, it will be far worse off for you than me, you know the government are trying to find any excuse to put you in a penitentiary this will just give them the reason”

Peggy gave a tight smile and squeezed Natasha’s hand and said with a cry “Go and visit Grace for me”

“Peggy…” Natasha pleaded in a whisper, but this time when Peggy turned and walked away, Natasha didn’t try to stop her, she just let go of Peggy’s hand and watched her walk away, raising her hands up and getting down on her knees along with Clint, Wanda, Scott and now Sam as he flew back. Natasha let out a deep breath as she watched Peggy being locked in handcuffs, she looked over to the distance and saw T’Challa remove his mask and watch on. With an ounce of guilt written across his face.


	9. Chapter 9

Steve was silent as he looked out to the view in front of him, setting the jet on autopilot because he was in no mental state to think about flying a jet right now. Tears filled his eyes up as he replayed her voice in his head over and over again, just knowing that she was down there crying was enough to set him off too. 

“What’s going to happen to your friends?” Bucky asked, breaking a long painful silence. Steve took a deep breath and thought to himself for a moment he sighed and shook his head “Whatever it is, I’ll deal with it”

“And Peggy?” Bucky asked in a cracked dry voice.

Steve hitched his breath and covered his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose, he shook his head again and let out another sigh as he sniffled up “I don’t know...I don’t know how I’ll deal with that one to be honest with you...I’ve never gone a day without her”

Bucky bowed his head and shook it “I don’t know if I’m worth all of this Steve”

Steve looked to Bucky from over his shoulder “I know one thing for sure, and that is that Peggy will agree with me on this when I say that what you did all those years...it wasn’t you, you didn’t have a choice”

“I know…but I did it”

Steve didn’t know what to say to that. He looked straight ahead again, then hearing Bucky say “You’ve got a daughter at home...I should never have let you risk any of this-”

“I came looking for you, remember? It was our choice, Grace is...she knows what we do, she’s a smart kid and proud of us for what we do...Bucky, she’d know that I was doing this because it’s the right thing” Steve shook his head “And I’m not giving up, I’ll go back for Peggy  _ and  _ Grace when this blows over”

“And who knows how long that will be” Bucky muttered.

Steve went to argue back but the fact is he couldn’t, he let out a defeated sigh and said in a weak tone “I just hope that Ross gives sympathy to her...let’s her out to take care of Grace, at least then they’ll be together”

He didn’t know that was him trying to convince himself or if he did actually believe that it was a possibility. Either way it didn’t make him feel any better. It didn’t bring comfort like he thought it would if he said if out loud. Steve sat back in his chair and dragged the palm of his hand down his mouth as he took a deep breath and heavily exhaled as he dropped his hand. 

To numb him, his mind decided to take him elsewhere.

_ “I can’t believe you actually liked it” Peggy laughed as she walked into her quarters and put on a pot of tea. Steve shrugged and said with a laugh “What can I say? The lead woman kept me awake” _

_ Peggy rolled her eyes and muttered “Well, there are plenty Jennifer Aniston films to watch then” _

_ Steve walked over to her, looking at her up and down as she dressed like a classic twenty first century woman. It was surreal. One thing that hadn’t changed was her classic blood red lipstick. Her hair was longer now though, it traveled past her shoulders by a few inches. Steve pushed her hair back, over her shoulder as he got a more clear view of her face that he found utterly captivating every time he looked at it.   _

_ Peggy kept her eyes on the boiling kettle and tried to hide her flustered smirk at his touch. Steve leaned down and pressed his lips against her shoulder, her smile pinched her cheeks as she softly bit her lip and closed her eyes. Feeling his lips press against her cheek as he pulled her body closer to him. Peggy slowly turned her body and pressed it against his as his kisses traveled to her neck. A weak spot of hers. _

_ Peggy opened her eyes and entwined her fingers with the back of his dirty blonde hair. _

_ 'Damn him’ she thought to herself ‘He’s only out of the ice for a bloody week and already he’s back in my quarters’ _

_ Although to be fair, she would have had him the very night he did wake up. But she was focusing too much on helping him get better and adapt. Well, he certainly was adapted now. Steve gently placed his hand on her jaw as he dragged his lips up from her neck and looked at her, Peggy’s hands gripped to his waist, she softly nodded and closed her eyes. Steve smirked at her sign of approval and pressed his lips firmly against hers. _

_ Their tongues brushed together as Steve’s hands pressed firmly against her back. As their kiss grew hotter, Peggy pushed Steve’s jacket off of his shoulders and threw it on the floor, then gripping to his shirt and walking backwards. Steve leaned down, momentarily taking his lips away from her and picked her up by wrapping his arms just below her backside. Peggy let out a surprised gasp at his spontaneous action and then laughed breathlessly as she ran her hands down the back of his head and leaned her head back down to resume kissing him. _

_ Steve dropped her down on the bed and hovered over her for a moment, his dog tags sending a cold chill through her as they touched her chest. Peggy smirked as she bit his lip and whispered “I’m keeping those” _

_ “Okay” Steve whispered with a small laugh, pressing his lips back against hers. Peggy let out a soft moan and then flipped him over. Straddling his waist, she kept her eyes on him as she removed her black leather jacket along with her white blouse. Revealing her red laced bra. Steve’s hand traveled to her chest and down to press his palm against her toned stomach as he stared at her. _

_ It didn’t feel that long ago that he had a view like this. But for her, it had been far too long. Peggy licked her bottom lip and took a deep breath as she hooked her hands to the end of his shirt and slowly dragged it up. Steve grumbled a laugh and held his hands above his head as she pulled his shirt all the way up and threw it to the side, keeping her body down against his and placing her hands on his cheeks. _

_ In a hot and heavy whisper, Peggy said “Tell me” _

_ Steve smirked against her lips and put his hands against her back as he sat up, still holding her close, Steve dragged his lips off of hers by merely an inch and said “I love you” _

_ Peggy opened her eyes as she gently bit his bottom lip again, seeing him so taken back by his eyes still being shut she whispered seductively “You better” _

_ Peggy threw her head back as Steve’s lips attacked her neck. Then resting her chin on the crown of his head as he pressed his lips against her chest. Peggy clenched her hand to a fist in the back of his hair and pushed them both back down onto the bed. _

_ They lay there in each other’s arms. Catching their breath. Peggy panted against Steve’s bare chest and then said “I was going to make you wait” _

_ Her head went up and down as he laughed. Steve shook his head and said as he stroked her arm with his fingertips “You say that as if we’ve never done it before” _

_ “Yes well, I thought you’d get all shy and quiet once again at the fact that I spent nearly four years without you. Or seventy if you want to get technical” _

_ “I guess I’m just full of myself” Steve muttered as he kissed the top of her head. Peggy looked up at him and raised her eyebrows “You have every right to be” _

_ Peggy pressed her lips softly against his for a brief moment before pulling away and saying as she took her eyes back to gazing at him “For the record...I love you too”  _

_ Steve smiled and nodded as he muttered in reflection to her own words “You better” _

_ Peggy pinched his chin and pulled his lips back onto hers, the duvet slid from her back as she dragged her body against his and pulled him close. _

* * *

Natasha shook her aching hand as she dropped the pen on the desk. Sitting back in her chair and staring at the piece of paper, letting out a frowning sigh. She knew what she was going to have to do. Natasha put her head back against the headrest of her chair and then turned her head to see Tony stood at the door frame.

“You certainly left the hospital wing in a hurry”

“Sorry” Natasha muttered as she bowed her head. She stood up from her chair and walked over to him.

They walked over to the glass balcony and remained in silence for a moment as they looked out. Natasha cleared her throat and finally asked “So what’s the verdict?”

“Doctor said he shattered L4 through S1...extreme laceration to spinal cord...probably looking at some form of paralysis”

With her arms crossed, Natasha shook her head “Steve’s not gonna stop...if you don’t either Rhodey’s gonna be the best case scenario”

“You let them go Nat”

“We played this wrong. Thanks to our actions, Peggy, who just wanted peace more than anyone is locked away in a cell away from her daughter”

Tony scoffed and shook his head “Just bringing Peggy into this to try and shake dealing with the double agent thing, huh? Sticks in the DNA”

Natasha looked at him, taken back by his comment. She had tried to prove herself to these people she considered friends and worked with since coming to SHIELD. And to see that people still peg her as someone not to be trusted hurt. Natasha never wanted to be on any kind of team, she hadn’t seen Bucky in so long but still would do anything for him. Ever since she regained her memory back when SHIELD ran tests on her, she knew she would never be able to forget him again. Nor did she ever want to despite pretending to. And Steve, well he always had her back and treated her like a person, he always tried and put his trust in her and trusted her more than anyone.

As for Peggy, well, she was family to her more than anyone. Natasha cared for Peggy so much that she didn’t regret trying to help her. Even though it didn’t end well.  

“Are you incapable of letting go of your ego for one goddamn second?” she snapped sharply.

Tony stared at her for a moment and looked away, he raised his eyebrows and said “T’Challa told Ross what you did so...they’re coming for you”

Natasha rubbed her lips and took a deep breath, she then nodded and scoffed “Yeah, I was expecting that...but you know what Tony...I’m not the one that needs to watch their back”

Natasha stormed off, back into the office. She let out a deep shaky breath and ran her fingers through her hair. She guessed that she would have to run, but now that she actually had to run made it all the more hard to comprehend. Natasha looked over at the paper on her desk. She walked over to it, folded it up and slid it in the padded envelope along with a smaller cut picture with it and another object.  She grabbed her bag and stepped out again. Seeing Tony going to pass her, she grabbed his non slinged arm.

“Will you go and see her?” Natasha asked, feeling herself getting worked up and emotional.

Tony stared at her and couldn’t help but feel guilty by seeing how hurt she was truly feeling about all of this. Tony simply nodded. Natasha rubbed her lips and nodded as she bowed her head down “When you see her” Natasha looked back up at him and slapped the envelope against his chest “Give her this”

Tony took hold of the letter and watched her walk away.

* * *

Tony walked in the Raft. The prison off the coast of New York where they were keeping Peggy and the others. On his way there, Tony saw the errors of his ways, he saw how he was wrong about Bucky and how he knew that Steve and Peggy were in fact right about the doctor. He had to get information out of someone from the team on Steve’s location. And he knew who was his best bet.

Tony stepped in the centre of the cells and saw all of them, looking miserable. His eyes flew to Peggy, who didn’t even look at him, she was clutching onto Steve’s dog tag that were around her neck, with tears running down her cheeks. Her makeup was stripped, showing through the bruises on her face and her cut lip. Her hair was tied back in a loose ponytail. Exhausted. Like she had given up all of the faith she once had. He went to walk over to her when suddenly, Clint began to yell.

“The futurist! Ladies and gentlemen! The futurist is here!”

Tony looked to Peggy, who now had her eyes open and looking at Clint, then taking her dead eyes to Tony for a brief moment with her hands still attached to the dog tags. As she looked back to Clint from across the way. Tony walked over to him.

“He’s see’s all! He knows what’s best for you...whether you like it or not”

“Give me a break Barton. I had no idea they’d put you here c’mon…”

Clint spat on the floor and muttered “Yeah well you knew they’d put us somewhere, Tony”

“Yeah but not some...super max floating ocean pokie you know this place is for maniacs this isn’t a place for-”

“Criminals” Clint said as he slowly stood up  “Criminals, Tony, think that’s the word you’re looking for...right? It didn’t used to mean me, or Sam, Peggy...Wanda. But here we are”

“Because you broke the law” Tony shot back “I didn’t make you”

Clint turned away and sat down, overlapping Tony’s attempt of a lecture by singing

“You’re all grown up you got a wife and kids...I don’t understand why didn’t you think about them before you chose the wrong side?”

His words stuck to Peggy, she looked at them. She saw how it riled Clint up, he stood up and walked back over to Tony as he walked away “You better watch your back with this guy”

He slammed his hands against the metal bars. Causing Peggy to jump as she shut her eyes again.

“There’s a chance he’s gonna break it!”

“Clint” Peggy called to him as she looked at him, she raised her eyebrows to him “Leave it”

Clint looked at her and took a deep breath before scoffing under his breath and sitting back down on his bed.

Peggy heard Tony stop at the cell beside hers. Sam’s.

“How’s Rhodes?” Sam asked. The question that was hanging on her mind as well.

“Flying him to Colombian medical tomorrow so...fingers crossed..what do ya need they feed you yet?” Sam turned around. Showing his black and blue cheek.  Sam raised his eyebrows to Tony with his arms crossed and said with a cynical tone “You the good cop now?”

“I’m just the guy that needs to know where Steve went”

Peggy eyes flung open again. Her eyebrows pinched together as she felt her blood boil up, she couldn’t help but shout to him “Are you taking the piss?”

Tony and Sam stayed silent for a moment, Tony looked down for a moment and took a deep breath. He looked up to Sam who nodded to the cell next to him “Took the words right outta my mouth. You’re gonna have to go get a bad cop. Cause you’re gonna have to go mark firming on my ass to get information out of me”

Tony sighed and rubbed his forehead, he took a step back and glanced to Sam before walking to the cell next to him. Getting daggers from Peggy as soon as he came in eye contact with her. Tony just stared at her, not knowing what to say.

“Are you going to give me a lecture too? Tell me what a bad parent I am” Peggy snarled as she remained seated on her bed.

Tony shook his head and weakly muttered “No. It was different for you”

“I don’t care, that man over there is a good husband and a good father”

Tony sighed and rested his hand against her cell “Cut me some slack, Peg”

Peggy hitched her breath “Cut you some slack? I’m sorry Tony. It must be  _ so _ hard for you having your freedom. But I, the common criminal...well I’m stuck behind here. Separated from my husband and my daughter. But then again. I suppose that’s all my fault”

“Peggy, I’m not saying that for one second. You know how much I care about you”

Peggy sighed and looked away from him, she just looked at her palms as she gently rubbed together, more tears filling her eyes and streaming down her cheeks.

“Just trying to butter me up? Thinking I’ll tell you where he’s gone” Peggy looked to Tony and shook her head “How about you go to hell Tony” she paused, as she instantly regretted what she just said, she didn’t mean it. But she was too angry and upset to take it back “I’d rather be hung up by my fingernails than let you get a hold of him” 

Tony sighed and looked down to his watch, going onto his settings from hacking into the database when he was in the monitor room, he disabled the audio.

“Peg, look, I’ve disabled the audio. They can’t hear us out there, I promise. We’ve got about thirty seconds before they figure out it’s not their equipment. Look” Tony got up a picture of a dead man, Peggy stared at the picture, not understanding what this has got to do with anything.

“That is the fella who was supposed to interrogate Bucky, clearly I made a mistake. Peg I was wrong”

Peggy remained silent, a huge rush of relief ran through her body. This could bring him home.  

“Steve is definitely off the reservation but he’s going to need all the help he can get. I never wanted this just like you, let me make things up to you by getting you back to your husband and daughter-”

Peggy took her eyes back to Tony, she took a deep breath and nodded, saying in a dry voice “Okay” she cleared her throat “I’ll tell you but, Tony you must promise me that you have to go alone and as his friend”

Tony looked at her, in a way that she knew she could trust him as he said “Easy”

Peggy took a moment and looked down to Steve dog tags that hung round her neck, she nodded as she took her head back up to Tony “Siberia. That’s where they went. An old training facility where Bucky was kept. They’ve gone to find the other Winter Soldiers before that fake doctor does, it’s high up, mountains. Your tracker on your helicopter should pick it up easily”

“Thank you” Tony said with a weak smile. He looked at the far right side of the cell and noticed how a rectangle part cut in the cell that slides back and forth. Must be what they put food through for them. Tony cleared his throat and took out the padded envelope that Natasha had given her.

“Here” he said. Peggy got up from the bed and walked over to the envelope, taking it out of his hands she looked up to Tony, searching for answers by just the look in her eyes. Tony looked at her and finally gave her the answer “Natasha told me to give you this”

Peggy stared down at the envelope and gulped heavily as her breath hitched “Where is she?”

“I don’t know, honest she just took off”

“I see”

“She didn’t have much of a choice, T’Challa told them what she did”

“Hardly surprising” Peggy looked back up to him and whispered as she nodded to the door “Go on...bring him back to me” she then rolled her eyes as she joked with the cliche line _“Be my hero”_

Tony bowed his head as he let out a small laugh. Peggy sighed and added “And stop punishing yourself”

“I’m just trying to redeem myself” Tony said as he looked up to her. She stared at him with a warm smile on her face. Sounding just like his father.

_ “You’re punishing yourself!” _

_ “I’m redeeming myself” _

Tony went to leave, Peggy quickly grabbed his hand “Oh and Tony”

 

Tony looked back at her and raised his eyebrows “Yeah?”

“I didn’t get the chance to tell him before...tell him that I love him”

“Sure. But I ain’t kissin him for ya” Tony dryly teased before sliding his hand away from hers and walked out of the cell. Peggy looked back down at the envelope and sat back down on her bed. Pressing her back up against the wall and staring at it for a moment as she focused on Natasha’s handwriting.

_ Peggy… _

She couldn’t read it. Not right now. Right now, all she wanted to do was rest, and maybe when she wakes up, Steve will be right in front of her, opening her cell.

 

* * *

Steve and Bucky walked up the stairs when they heard a bang from behind them. Quickly they turned around, Steve pulled his shield up as Bucky remained behind him on two stairs above and pointed his gun at the door, waiting. 

“Ready?”

“Yeah”

The doors opened, Tony stood in front of them, in his Iron Man suit. Steve slowly lowered his shield ever so slightly as he stood up and began walking towards him as Bucky remained in the same position. Tony dismantled his mask, as a way to show no threat and tried to make a dry joke “You seem a little defensive?”

Steve nodded “It’s been a long day”

Tony looked up and saw Bucky pointing his gun right at him “At ease soldier I’m not currently after you”

“Then why are you here?”

Tony shrugged “Maybe your stories not so crazy...maybe...Ross has no idea I’m here I’d like to keep it that way” Tony said as he leaned against the concrete pillar “Otherwise I gotta arrest myself”

“Well that sounds like a lot of paperwork”

Tony let out an amused puff through his nose. Steve dropped his shield and stared at him, after a moment of silence he finally asked “Have you seen her?”

Tony nodded and cleared his throat “Yeah she’s...she’s been better”

“Where is she?”

Tony sighed and remained quiet. Steve took a step forward and spoke more sternly “Tony. Where the hell have they put my wife?”

Tony took his eyes to Steve and answered with a frown “They’ve out her and the rest of them in The Raft”

“The raft! That place was designed for the insane!”

“It wasn’t my call... but look, if we can prove your story to Ross, they’ll let em go...and Peggy is okay, she’s down in the dumps but well she is behind bars after all. She’s the one that led me to you guys”

“Did she say anything else?”

“That she loves you, said she didn’t get chance to say it when you took off”

A small smile couldn’t help but tug on Steve’s lips for a moment. Steve nodded and stared to Tony “Grace?”

“Natasha checked in, she’s doing just fine”

“Good...and....it’s good to see you, Tony”

“Ah I was waiting for it to be about me!...You too, Cap” Tony looked back up and saw Bucky still having his gun pointed at him, he sighed and addressed it “Manchurian candidate you’re killing me, there’s a truce here you can drop....”

After getting the sign of approval from Steve, Bucky lowered his gun and walked up the steps for Steve and Tony to follow.

“This way, come on” Bucky ordered as he carried on walking.

“Wow, bossier than I thought” Tony muttered under his breath as he and Steve walked up the steps. Steve let out a small hitching laugh “Yeah, it’s not difficult to see why he and Peggy get along so well is it?”

They walked through the base a little longer, it was all vividly familiar to Bucky. Like it was only yesterday he was being tortured here, Steve turned and looked to him “You alright?”

Bucky tightened his grip on his gun to show one answer, but verbally gave another “Yeah I’m fine”  Steve didn’t argue against him, there wasn’t really enough time. He turned back around as Tony walked ahead of him.

The three of them finally came to what they were looking for. The whole room lit up. Showing the five chambers. With the five Winter Soldiers kept in each one. There was not any doubt in any of their minds that these people in the chambers were dead. Steve couldn’t help but notice the bullet holes that was in each of their heads.

Suddenly there was a voice that overshadowed the room _ “If it’s any comfort...they died in their sleep...did you really think I wanted more of you?” _

Bucky became nervy again, he gripped onto harder onto his gun and muttered “What the hell…”

_ “I’m grateful to them though, they brought you here” _

All of a sudden, the fake Doctor, Zemo, put light on himself for them all to see. Tony took a shot whilst Steve flung his shield at the window Zemo was visible through only to have it bounced back at him.

“Please, Captain, the soviets built this chamber to withstand the launch blast of one hundred rockets”

“I’m betting I could beat that!” Tony called back.

“I’m sure you could, Mr Stark...given time...but then you’d never know why you came”     

Steve walked forward to Zemo and said in an abrupt manner “You killed innocent people in Vienna just to bring us here”

When Steve became close enough to the window, Zemo stared at the man in front of him. Scanning Steve’s face as he said in a whisper “I’ve thought about nothing else for over a year. Studied you. Your life. Your family. I followed you...but now that you’re standing here I just realized, there’s a bit green in the blue of your eyes” he then let out a small laugh “How nice to find a flaw” 

_ “Are you aware that you have green in your eyes?” Peggy asked as she leaned against her desk. Steve raised an eyebrow and laughed “That’s an odd observation statement” _

_ “I’ve spent half of this bloody war staring at you. It’s just something I took note of” _

_ “Well I did know that. Was hoping no one else did” _

_ Peggy smirked and looked harder into his eyes with a soft expression as she moved her body close and whispered, getting on her tip toes slightly as he lips grew closer to his “I like it” _

Steve kept his stern look on Zemo as the memory faded in his head “You’re sokovian...is that what this is about?”

“Sokovia was a failed state  _ long  _ before you blown it to hell. No. I’m here because I made a promise”

Steve began to understand as he slowly nodded and said in a less stern tone “You lost someone”

He saw the emotion on Zemo’s face build up as he was shook by Steve’s statement, in a whimpered shaky voice he said “I lost  _ everyone _ . And so will you. You’ll never see your wife or child again. Just like me”

Zemo looked down and switched the small tv screen that was just behind Steve, he walked over to it as Zemo said “An empire toppled by its enemies can rise again...but one which crumbled from within...that’s dead. Forever”

Tony then joined Steve and looked at the screen. It was CCTV footage. Of a road. One that made Tony’s blood run cold “I know that road…”

* * *

Peggy sat herself up on the bed after her sleep. She hoped that when she woke up she’d wake up to Steve, but no. She was still alone in a cold cell. Peggy let out a deep sigh and looked over to the padded envelope from Natasha. Now was a better time to open it than ever. Peggy peeled it open and saw the folded piece of paper first, she took it out without looking any further into it. 

Peggy unfolded the paper. It was a letter.

_ Peggy, _

_ Well. Things certainly got out of hand, huh? I know it’s no time to try and make light of all of this. But you know me, I’m not good with this… _

_ I hope you’re alright. That may be a stupid thing to say, but it’s my job as the best friend to hope that you are. Maybe in a selfish way to try and make myself feel better or less guilty than I’m feeling… _

_ Do you hate me? Cause I would. I never should have let them take you, I should have fought for you like you did for me. But you were also right. I just couldn’t risk it, hence why I can’t come and see you wherever they’ve put you. They’ll be coming for me and I have to run. I just have to, Peggy. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I will always be grateful for your loyalty to me and I will use every fiber of my being to make you feel the amount of loyalty you have given me. Somehow I feel like I have failed to do so yet.  _

_ I made my own way back to the Avengers facility base and on my way I did as you requested and dropped by at Laura’s to see Grace. She’s doing great, taking her to Laura was a good idea. Libby is keeping her distracted and I think that she find it refreshing to have kids to play with instead of old timers like us. Of course she asked where you and Steve were, I just said that you were still busy. She shrugged it off pretty quickly which I think is a good sign at the fact that she is being filled with constant play time that she doesn’t have time to think. I gave her a kiss from you both before I left. _

_ I know that I never had the chance to explain to you about how I knew Bucky. Perhaps he did...if he did then you’d understand why I was emotionally compromised through wanting to forget everything. If he didn’t tell you then I suppose I have just made you even more curious. Sorry. When we see each other again I promise to tell you everything, putting it into words on a piece of paper isn’t enough. You know me, I begin to ramble about things that made me nervous or upset. Which is why I am trying to put a cap on this as much possible. All I will say for now...is that there is a reason I let you guys go back at the airport. Not just for you and Steve. But for him through my damn heart. _

_ I can’t say what is going to happen to any of us. Not you, me, Tony or Steve. But I can say that all I hope and wish for is that you both return home to Grace safely. If that happens then, well, I don’t care what happens to me. ‘Morbid’ you’re thinking, well shut up and let me care about you. I don’t know if I had the chance to tell you this, but I believe you about the this doctor thing. I know better than to doubt your judgement. Got the scars to prove it. I hope Tony see’s this too and stops being stubborn by the accords and helps Steve...I also hope that they can put a stop to this as soon as possible. I know you must be going stir crazy. _

_ I have to go. If I don’t know I’ll never get past the front gates. I have a feeling in my gut that they will already be on their way. _

_ Thank you for what you did back at the airport. I’m sorry that you even had to do it. I don’t say this often, I don’t say it to anyone really, but I do love you, Carter. _

_ (Noticed how I put ‘Carter’ to make it less sappy) _

_ I’ve left you two more things in the envelope, if you haven’t already seen. One thing for your heart and one for...well...I can’t tell you where I’m going. Cause the truth is I don’t even know yet. But when you get out of here... _

_ You know you can call. _

_ Always, _

_ Nat x _

Peggy wiped her tears that were caused by Natasha’s words and then tipped the remaining items on the bed. One was a phone. Of course, why else would she say that Peggy could call her. Peggy couldn’t help but mutter a laugh.  _ Why couldn’t she have put that? So dramatic  _ she said to herself. Peggy turned over the other piece of paper and instantly let out a watery smile as she looked at the picture of Grace and Steve.

A picture of Steve’s laughing face from the side as Grace was smiling with her hands pressing on his cheeks. Seeing them happy in the picture was enough to keep herself numb. She knew Grace would be happy, she had that confidence from Natasha’s words. But Steve, she can’t imagine he’s that happy right now. So seeing him smile on this picture made her both emotional but also comforted in remembering a happier time.

An idea then struck into her head. Peggy looked down at the phone and saw the time. It was 7:45pm. Grace would be tucking into bed by now. She was always one for an early night. She unlocked the phone and clicked on her contacts. One number had an  _ N  _ on it. Peggy wasn’t stupid. That meant  _ Natasha _ .

Her judgement was right, Natasha was as clever as she seemed. Because the second and last number on the contacts had an  _ L  _ on it.  _ Laura _ .

“God bless you, Nat” Peggy whispered to herself. She looked over to Clint. Walking to the bars she called “Clint!”

Clint lifted his head from the bed and sat up, nodding to her “Yeah?”

Peggy showed him the phone. Obviously she couldn’t get it to him, for one there was the case of the bars having class behind it.

“I’m going to call Laura”

Clint stood up and walked to the bars, with a faint emotional smile. Peggy smiled to him and said “Do you want me to give her and the kids a message?”

Clint nodded as he tried to gather his thoughts and keep his emotions under check. He took a breath and nodded as he looked to her, giving a shrug “Just say I love her and the kids...and that I’m sorry this has happened”

Peggy gave him a heavy hearted nod. Not saying anything back she just pressed  _ CALL _ . She went back into sitting on her bed. Clint looked at her, just wishing that he could just walk over and speak to his wife.

Peggy didn’t have to wait long for Laura to answer “ _ Hello?” _

“Laura. It’s Peggy”

_ "Oh Peggy? Oh my god! How are you calling me?” _

Peggy shrugged, she looked up to the cell ceiling “Natasha is sneaky”

_ “I see”  _ Laura laughed faintly  _ “How’s Clint?” _

Peggy looked over to Clint “He’s angry...upset...he’s on the other side of the cell so he can’t have the phone but he says he loves you and that he’s sorry”

Laura sighed. Obviously she was upset and worried, but she has been in positions like this before where she thought that he wasn’t going to come back to them. But he always did.

_ “Well, tell him we love him too and...tell him not to be sorry. Hopefully your Steve can fix things and get you guys out” _

“I hope so...where’s Grace?”

_ “Just about to get into bed. Would you like to talk to her?” _

Peggy took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she nodded and whimpered “Yes please”

There was a pause as she heard Laura walk through the house, hearing the door creek as she walked into the room where Grace was staying.

_ “Hi honey, I’ve got someone on the phone that I think you’ll be happy to hear from” _

Laura handed Grace the phone  _ “Hello?” _

A wide smile quickly spread across her face at the sound of her daughters voice. Of course her eyes filled him with tears, but right now it was more happy and relieved tears. She really needed this.

“Hi, baby”  

_ “Mommy?” _

“Yes, love”

_ “Mommy! Mommy I miss you” _

Peggy let out a breathless light hearted laugh as tears ran down her cheeks “Oh darling by I miss you too, so much”

_ “Where daddy?” _

“He’s...he’s helping his friend. Remember we told you about Uncle Bucky?”

_ “Yes!”  _ Grace said with a hint of excitement.  __

“Yes well daddy has gone with him whilst I...I’m staying with Wanda and the rest of our  _ family _ , doing some work here”

Did she hate lying? Sure, of course, but times like this, it was absolutely necessary. Grace didn’t cry or even ask when they were coming home, she was only two going on three but she wasn’t stupid. She knew that they wouldn’t be coming home yet else they would be by now with her. Plus she was having so much fun at the farm that she was like any other kid having the time of her life, she didn’t want to go home, and it distracted her well to stop from worrying about where her parents were or if they were okay.

Peggy cleared her throat “Are you having fun?”

_ "Yes! Libby let me have her horse doll” _

"She did! Well that was a lovely thing for her to do, did you say thank you?”

_ “Uh-huh!” _

“Good girl” Peggy said in a whisper, she sighed. Then hearing Grace yawn she said “Sleepy, baby?”

_ “Mm-hm”  _ Grace mumbled. Peggy heard her daughter shuffle down into her bed, still holding onto the phone she then brought it back up to her ear and asked in another yawn  _ “Sing?” _

Peggy smiled again and bowed her head down, closing her eyes. She took a deep breath and nodded as she whispered “Okay love” she heard Grace shuffle a little bit more as she made herself getting more comfortable. All Peggy wanted was if she could just jump through the damn phone to Grace and just sit on the bed with her, stroke her hair as she sang to her, watching Grace slowly swift to sleep.

But this was as good as it was going to get, so for now, she had to just settle for this. 

Peggy cleared her throat, she looked down at the picture and began to sing in a soft gentle voice, that she always sang in to send her to sleep _“Lavender's blue, dilly dilly, lavender's green, when you are king, dilly dilly, I shall be queen..."_


	10. Chapter 10

Steve stared at Tony, taking deep and heavy breaths as his shield struck his suit. Seeing the damage he has done to the man that he calls his friend. The blood smeared on his face. Steve let out another exhausted deep breath and then looked away as he fell off of Tony, he yanked his shield out of Tony’s suit and, picking himself up he walked over to Bucky.

Seeing his face just as bloody as Tony’s and his ripped metal arm. Steve took a deep breath and pulled Bucky up, throwing his arm around him as he held him up to walk out. He heard Tony say behind him in a broken voice “That shield doesn’t belong to you”

Steve carried on walking.

“You don’t deserve it. My father made that shield!”

Tony’s words brought Steve to a halt, he looked down at his shield. No longer feeling anything but the will to give up. Steve gave Tony what he claimed to want and dropped the shield down on the floor. He was done. Steve saw Bucky’s heavy eyes look at him, but he didn’t say anything or even look at him, he just carried on walking with Bucky limping beside him.  

Tony didn’t bother to stand, he didn’t bother to stop them. Like Steve, he had also just given up. So, he just let them go.

Steve carried Bucky all the back up to the quinjet. There he was greeted by T’Challa. His jet was just a little further off, keeping Zemo captive in it. Steve sighed and shook his head “He didn’t do anything in Vienna”

T’Challa looked at the broken man that Steve was holding onto and slowly nodded “I know”

He looked back up and saw Steve surprised face, he added “You were right, Captain,  that man you have been hunting down. He is responsible for all of this...and I am sorry”

Steve shook his head and said as he took a deep breath “It isn’t your fault. Things got out of hand without you having anything to do with it”

T’Challa looked behind him “I have _Zemo_ held captive in my jet. I will be taking him to the CIA. But...I will not say anything about you and your friend other than plead your innocence”

“Thank you” Steve went to get in the jet T’Challa took a step forward and said “I would like to help, I have...a proposition for you”

Steve stopped and looked back to him “Proposition?”

T’Challa nodded “I want to help, I...I have a _safe house_...somewhere none of the CIA or the member of the United States Government would think to look. It holds high technology facilities, much like what Mr Stark built for your Avengers. I can offer you to stay there, we can help your friend. Keep you safe until the air has cleared”

Steve stared at T’Challa. Rather stunned. Steve looked to Bucky, who was so exhausted and just completely out of it. He wanted to get him better, Steve looked back to T’Challa and said “That’s good of you. But I have a wife and a child. I can’t go into hiding without them-”

“Whilst I am taking _him_ into custody. You have a chance to get them”

Steve took a deep breath as he understood. A small smile then formed on his face as he looked to T’Challa and gave him a grateful nod. T'Challa raised his eyebrows and pointed to the jet “I would put in the coordinates for your jet to take you”

“Yes, please, thank you”

T’Challa gave a small, _friendly_ smile and got in the jet for a moment, he put in the coordinates and quickly got out “When you already, click on the location I have put in and the jet will take you there”

T’Challa nodded and stuck his hand out, Steve looked down to T’Challa’s hand, with his free hand he shook his hand and gave him another grateful nod before T’Challa went back to his own jet.

“What’s....happening?” Bucky sighed out.

“We’re gonna get you some help, Buck, and we’re gonna get Peggy and Grace”

“I don’t...I don’t want your daughter...seeing me like this, Steve”  

Steve looked at him and carried him into the jet as he shook his head “Don’t worry, Buck, alright?”  

Bucky was too worn out to argue. He just got in his chair and looked at his broken metal arm “That’s gonna take some repairing” he said in a dry voice. Steve huffed a small laugh and sighed as he sat in his chair “Yeah it is...we’ll sort it Buck, promise”

Steve turned on the autopilot mode and put in his own coordinates and putting T’Challa’s in the saved locations section. The jet lifted up and began it’s route to The Raft. He couldn’t help but think about Tony, he had just left him there. Almost killing him and then just abandoning him. That’s not who he was, Steve didn’t do things like that. But right now, he had to be a little selfish. The risks he had taken before had cost him both Bucky and Peggy in the past. He can’t risk them again and now Grace. They were his life.

“Where’re we going now?”

“We’re going to get Peggy. Then Grace. And then we are all going to a safe place that T’Challa has given us. It’s over for now, Buck”

He heard Bucky let out a small sigh of relief behind him. And he had every right to do so.

* * *

 

Peggy held the photo of Steve and Grace close to her chest as she lay down on the bed, with Natasha’s letter beside her. It seemed like that was the only thing that was keeping her numb right now. Trying to not focus on where she where she was or her current situation. She just wanted for it to be a distant reality for now.

She hadn’t even ate the crap that they had given her. Half of her feels like it would kill her just by looking at it, the colour alone was off putting.

It had been oddly quiet for a while, usually a guard comes in every ten minutes to do a check in, but there hasn’t been one yet and they should have been in three minutes ago if her timing was correct, which it probably was.

Peggy opened her eyes and sat up on the bed to look out, it was hardly surprising that no-one else had clocked. Not to doubt their observation skills. It was dark, really dark. All that was making her see anything to outside was the odd white light that were pinned around the room. If this was a few hours ago, she would have gotten up to check out what was happening due to her gut telling her something was a little off. But right now she found it hard to even care. Peggy lay back down and just kept her eyes shut.

She didn’t even realise that the clicking noise she heard was from her cell door at the back being unlocked. It was when she felt the hand land on the top of her head that she opened her eyes and saw Steve knelt beside her bed.

“Hi, baby” Steve whispered with a _guilty_ small smile lingering on his face. Peggy didn’t know if she was dreaming at first, she put her hand on his cheek “I better not be dreaming” she muttered as she scanned his face. Steve’s smile cracked open even more. He leaned down and pressed her lips against hers. Peggy wrapped her arms around his neck and shut her eyes as tears instantly ran down her cheeks, the photo fell beside her on top of the letter as Steve sat her up with his arms wrapped around her waist as he sat on the bed.

“I’m so sorry” he whispered as their lips pulled away, Peggy held his forehead crinkle against hers as he grew more and more upset. Peggy shook her head and put her hand back on his cheek, Steve looked at her bruised face “Jesus baby look at you”

She pulled her head away “You have nothing to be sorry for”

“I risked everything”

“ _We_ risked everything. For what we believed was right-”

“I almost killed Tony” Steve blurted out, taking his eyes to her. Peggy’s eyebrows pinched together as she stared at him, extremely confused “No he...he went to help”

Steve scratched his forehead and shook his head “He found out about Howard...just saw red at Bucky and went after him, at first I was protecting Bucky, just trying to defend him without hurting Tony but...he ripped Bucky’s arm off and seeing how weak he looked I just lost it”

“Oh god…” Peggy whispered as she looked away from him “Where’s Tony now?”

“Back at the compound. Bucky is in the quinjet. We’re getting out of here. All security is down but we haven’t got long”

Peggy nodded as he stood up. Peggy grabbed hold of the letter and photo and phone, she put them in her pockets. Steve looked at the food on the side as he put his hand on her face and muttered “The hell is that?”

“I’m too scared to even try” Peggy said as she glanced to him and walked out of the back door.

They made their way round and unlocked the doors for everyone.

“There’s one problem” Peggy said as she ran her fingers through her hair. Steve shrugged as he looked at her “What?”

“Have you seen what they have locked Wanda up in? She can’t move her hands”

Steve sighed with defeat as he rummaged in his back jean pocket “That’s too bad” he then sighed again and lifted a set of keys in his hand “This help?” Peggy looked at the keys in his hand and then looked to him as he said “Turns out Ross isn’t subtle as the key’s were next to a label that read _Maximoff_ ”

Peggy let out a breathless laugh as she kissed his cheek “Get it open then”

Steve opened the door to Wanda’s cell as the rest remained outside and waited. It was silent when Scott rubbed his hands together with nerves and looked at them “Is this your guys first break out?”

The three of them looked to Scott. All with the same expression on their faces due to their confusion as to why this is the topic of conversation for this moment in time. Scott shrugged and muttered “What?”

The door reopened and Steve stepped out of the cell with Wanda behind him, Peggy walked over and briefly touched her cheek as she showed concern for the young girl “Okay?”

Wanda nodded and weakly muttered “I’m fine” Peggy nodded and turned around with her hand on Wanda’s back “Steve, the jet?”

Steve nodded and pointed “Yeah it’s up”

The the six of them made their way upstairs, Steve really had handled taking out the guards well. But then again, he had been trained by the best. They reached upstairs and the jet was merely a few halls away. The engine room was on their floor down the hall. Growing closer and closer to the jet. When suddenly there was a loud crash coming from down the hall. Seems like he missed one.

“Okay, this looks bad” Clint muttered. Steve took a deep breath and turned to them and pointed to the direction they were already heading for “Clint get everyone back to the jet now! Go!”

Clint nodded and lead the team down the hall to the jet. Everyone apart from Peggy. Steve nodded to Clint “Go”

Peggy raised an eyebrow and shook her head “ _No_ ”

Steve stared at her and groaned a sigh “You know, one day you will actually accept my requests”

“I did once!” Peggy argued back “I said yes when you requested my hand in marriage”

Steve shook his head and they took cover beside a door frame and muttered “Very funny”

Peggy stood beside Steve as they heard a guard walk down the hall. Steve held his hand up to tell her to stay put as he peered his head around the corner. The guard that Steve hadn’t noticed to take out before had a large gun in his hand and was checking every nook and cranny. They couldn’t run, he’d hear and follow them to the jet.

Steve pressed the back of his head against the wall and damned to himself. Peggy put her hand on his arm as she held her breath, listening to the footsteps of the guard come closer. Steve took a deep breath and stepped out, the guard saw him and went to point his gun up, Steve grabbed the barrel of the assault rifle and pointed it to the floor as the guard to a shot. The tracer bullet hit the floor, Peggy saw what had happened and her eyes widened.

“Steve!” she ran forward and grabbed his jacket, Steve looked at her confused. She then quickly said “The bullet hit the spilt petrol”

Steve looked and saw a trail of fire light up and lead to a gas bottle.

“Crap” Steve whispered under his breath, he wrapped his arms around Peggy, with his back to the explosion and jumped as the gas bottle imploded. Knocking them through the window and fall down a large drop to come crashing down on the floor.

Steve covered Peggy’s body as glass shattered down from above. Steve looked up and let out a deep breath, not looking at Peggy he sat back, leaning against his hands, Steve let out a sigh of relief and looked up to where they fell.

“Well, that was a safety hazard” Steve said with a small laugh “Just like old times, right baby?”

Steve turned and looked at her as she didnt respond, her eyes were closed. Steve leaned towards her and said “Pegs?” Steve turned her on her back, her eyes were still shut.

Steve crouched over her and put his hands on her cheeks, his breath shuddered “Hey, hey Pegs wake up. Come on”

Peggy still stayed on the floor with her eyes shut. Steve’s eyebrows pinched together, he shook his head and put his hand on her arm and lightly shook her “C’mon! Peggy! Babe-”

Steve heard a grumble, Peggy then faintly whispered as a self inflicted amused smile appeared on her face “My...hero”

His jaw dropped as she realised what she did “Are you kidding me?”

Peggy giggled as Steve then said “No you did not just do that” she carried on giggling as she looked at his shock face at her little game of _play dead_. Steve lightly pushed her away as he sat back “That’s no where near funny!”

Peggy sat up and said in a chuckle “You’ve done a lot worse in our past”  

Steve shook his head and sighed as he lay on his back and covered his eyes with the palm of his hands “One day I’ll have a heart attack and then you’ll be sorry”

Peggy gave him a fake sympathetic moan as she moved over to him and put her ear on his chest over his heart “You’re still good for now” Peggy teased as she pulled her head back up and cupped his face “And you still love me, admit it”

“Your idea of romantic is _unique_ ” Steve said in a breathless chuckle as he lifted his head up to her.

Peggy smirked “I’m keeping things interesting” she whispered as she pulled her face down and pressed her lips against his.

“Well” They heard Sam’s voice from above, looking out the shattered window down to them “I was gonna ask if you guys were okay but you seem to be doing just fine to me”

They both let out a breathless laugh, Peggy pulled herself up from on top of Steve and brought herself to her feet, taking Steve’s hand and pulling him up on his, Peggy looked up and waved her hand “Get the jet started! We’ll be right up”

“Mm-hm” Sam smirked before doing as he was told and walking to the jet. Steve cracked his back and leaned his hands down onto his knees. Peggy slapped his back “Anymore guards you missed?”

Steve gaped at her as he stood back up “Excuse me, do you want to lead a rescue mission next time?”

Peggy shrugged with her hands on her hips “You are aware that when I carry out rescue missions I make sure that there’s no conscious guards by the time I’m done?”

Steve stared at her bluntly and rolls his eyes, taking hold of her hand on and just walking to her back upstairs.

The pair soon reached back upstairs to the jet, they saw the four of them on the sidelines. Clint walked forward “I’m getting in this jet with you, Sam is taking the jet that is parked over there, bring it over here and taking himself, Wanda and Scott someplace safe. I mean Scott will go back home soon but for now they’re gonna lay low”

He crossed his arms and said in a deep breath “You guys will be flying off somewhere after the farm?”

“T’Challa has a safe place, they’ll lose interest in looking for you guys, their main focus will be on us. But he promises that the place he’s taking us will give Bucky the help he needs but more importantly _sanctuary_ for Grace”

Clint nodded “Understood, good plan”

Steve, Peggy and Clint walked back over to the other three and bid their goodbyes, Steve slapped his hands in Sam’s “Thank you again, Sam”

“Hey anytime, Steve, take care of yourself and that little girl” Sam smiled, giving him a brief hug, slapping his back before pulling away and giving Peggy a hug. Peggy squeezed him tight “I’ll see you soon, Samuel”

“See you soon, _Margaret_ ” Peggy slapped his back extra hard which caused him to let out a winded laugh as he pulled back. Peggy winked at him and looked to Wanda, she put her hand on her cheek as she stepped closer to her “Are you going to be alright?”

Wanda shrugged with a faint smile “I’m free, what more could I wish for?”

“Well, be safe” Peggy gave her a quick kiss on the cheek as she brought her in for a hug “Stay close to Sam. We’ll talk soon”

“Thank you Peggy. For all the support you have given me” Wanda said as she rested her head on Peggy’s shoulder. Wanda pulled away and said with a wider smile “Give Grace a hug from me”

“I will, you can count on it” Peggy smiled with a little wink before Wanda was dragged away by Steve. Leaving only Scott left. Peggy stuck her hand out for Scott to shake “Well, as far as first meetings go this one has by far been the most interesting”

“It sure has Mrs Rogers”

“I think we’ve been through a fair amount together for you to call me Peggy”

Scott let out a nervous laugh and nodded, dropping his hand after noticing his overdue shaking. He slid his hands in his back pockets “Sorry again for almost blowing you up and all”

Peggy let out a small laugh “Don’t worry, I’m just about over it”

“Good! Good! Well have a safe flight and all, hope your daughter is okay”

Peggy let out a warm grin and rubbed his arm for a moment “Thank you, and yours too”

Peggy felt Steve’s hand press against her back as he muttered “You ready?”

“Yes”

Peggy backed away as Steve said another brief goodbye to Scott and followed her and Clint up into the jet. This was the first time Peggy had seen Bucky since the airport. And Steve told her about the arm, but seeing it was another thing. He took his eyes to her, all droopy and exhausted as he sat in the chair and then let out a faint grin “Hey there gorgeous”

Peggy tucked her hair behind her ear and sat beside him, looking at him with deep concern and saying to also play along “How are you doing, handsome?”

Bucky laughed and muttered as he watched Steve walk past them on the jet, over to Clint who had already sat himself in the pilot seat “Careful, we might make Stevie jealous again”

Steve looked to Bucky “Come on, when have I ever been jealous”

“Christmas day 1944, you got all hostile because I gave Peggy my whiskey flask because hers broke”

Steve crossed his arms and walked back over to them, muttering as he sat down “I thought you guys were giving each other gifts”

“In the middle of a war?” Peggy said with a little laugh. Steve looked to her and let out a long shrug. Peggy slapped his leg and said to Bucky “It’s funny because by christmas day we were already sleeping together”

“Even _that_ won’t make this punk feel secure” Bucky laughed. Steve faked an amused face “Glad I’m amusing you” he did mean that though, better Bucky to be laughing at him than to be sat in silence and thinking about his pain.

Peggy looked to Bucky and asked him again in a more serious tone “But seriously, how are you?”

Bucky’s face dropped from a laughing smile to a neutral expression as he shrugged “I’m not dead. Counts for somethin’...but what happened back there. Things just got outta control on both parts...I’ll be fine for now”

Steve looked to Bucky and asked “For now what do you mean for now?”

Bucky looked to Steve and shook his head “Can we not worry about that right now? All the matters right now is getting the hell out of here, getting your daughter and getting to safety”

Peggy smiled and put her hand on Bucky’s metal shoulder, then turning her head to Clint “Clint?”

“Heard him loud and clear and we are under way” Clint called back as he started up the jet engine, the roof opened up once again thanks to Sam working the control panel and before they knew it they were up in the air and were getting further and further away from the raft.

Bucky looked to Peggy and said in a quiet tone “Where is she?”

Peggy sighed as she dropped her hand and shrugged “I don’t know. But we’re going to get her or she’s going to come to us” Peggy held up the phone in her hand “With this I can contact her, let T’Challa aware of Natasha’s loyalty, I can’t see why he’d reject her presence in this so called safe place”

“You say that as if you don’t trust him” Steve said. Peggy turned to him and shrugged “He was hunting our arses not too long ago”

“Because he thought Bucky killed his father. He now knows the truth and wants to make up for his misunderstanding. Everyone deserves another chance, Peg”

Peggy sat back and rolled her eyes “Alright, no need to go all high and mighty on me”

“I’ve missed these domestics” Bucky whispered to himself as he sat back in his chair. Peggy looked to Bucky and sighed as she dug around in the first aid kit and took out a rag "I thought I was done wiping your blood off your face back in the war, Barnes"

* * *

A few hours later and they were brought to their destination. As usual, Clint landed the jet a fair few feet away from the house. Clint was the first one to get out. Bucky looked to Steve and Peggy and tilted his head to outside “You go ahead, reunite with your daughter. I’ll hang back here. Don’t really wanna scare anyone”

Peggy didn’t mean to look at him as sympathetically as she did. But he was so goddamn heartbreaking it was hard not to look at him with a broken heart, Peggy squeezed his arm “We won’t be long”

Steve slapped Bucky’s back and shot him a smile as he past him in the jet and followed Peggy out. Bucky let out a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair. He was feeling a little nervous, this wasn’t just any little girl he was going to meet. It was the little girl of his best friend. This was a big deal, he knew she was only two but he really wanted her to like him. Two year olds aren’t exactly one to hold back what they feel, they don’t craft the art of subtly at that age.

Peggy rubbed the palms of her hands together as they walked through the field, growing closer and closer to the house, she looked up and took a deep breath to then feel Steve’s arm swing over her shoulder and pulled her close “She’s not going to be mad at us, she’ll be happy to see us”

“I know. I just we were gone longer than we promised, that’s all”

“I bet that she’s had so much fun here that she even forgot about how long we were away” Steve reassured her as he rubbed her arm and kissed the top of her head. It was enough to make Peggy feel better. She could always count on him for that.

Peggy’s eyes went away from Steve as she heard Clint laugh and saw him run over to the house as Laura came running out with Nathaniel in her arms and Libby and Jackson running out ahead of her. Clint got down on his knees and hugged onto his two older children tightly, then standing up and kissing the top of Nathaniel’s head to then kiss Laura.

Then, all of a sudden, Peggy and Steve saw Grace peep round at the front door. When she saw her parents, her little face lit up “Mommy! Daddy!” she cheered as she made her way down the stairs.

“Grace” Peggy whispered to herself as she began to pick up her walking pace as then did Steve. Peggy crouched down and clapped her hands together before holding her arms out for Grace to run in. Grace flew into Peggy’s arms that immediately wrapped around the two year old’s body and stood up holding her tight, cradling her head with her eyes shut as she turned around, walking into Steve’s arms as they wrapped around his two girls and kissed the top of Grace’s head. Peggy let out a deep breath and pulled her head back to get a good look at her daughter.

Grace scanned their bruised faces “You two hurting?”

Steve and Peggy looked to each other and noticed their very visable bruising. Seeing Grace almost made them forget about what was going on.

“Don’t worry, babe, mommy and I are fine”

Peggy nodded as she looked back to Grace and let out a watery smile.

“Mommy don’t cry” Grace mumbled as she wiped away her mother’s tears. Peggy let out a breathless laugh and gave her a kiss before whispering “Happy tears, darling, I promise”

“We’re just happy to see you, princess” Steve added on as he stroked her chin with his finger and then lightly tapped her nose “Have you had fun, with Laura and Libby?”

Grace nodded with an excited giggle “I saw the tractor!”

“Yeah tractors are cool!” Steve laughed as he rubbed her back, with Peggy pressing her lips against Grace’s temple. Never wanting to let her go ever again. Peggy closed her eyes as a stray tear ran down her cheek, that was soon wiped away from Steve along with a kiss on the cheek from him and Grace straight afterwards.

"Are we going to home?” Grace questioned. Steve and Peggy looked to each other, Peggy then took her eyes back to Laura and said “Well, we’re all going on a little adventure together for a while, the three of us this time. And Auntie Nat”  

“Where. Auntie _Net_?!”

“We’re going to go and get her, then we are going to a special place, with daddy’s best friend, remember your Uncle Bucky who we told you about?”

Grace’s reply was a simple nod along with a lingering smile. Steve then added “Well you’re going to meet him real soon, he’s in the jet that we are going to get on to go to our adventure place”

“I’m meeting Uncle Buck?!” Grace said in an excited squeal. She had heard so much about Bucky she was beginning to think he was a myth.

“Yes!” Peggy and Steve said in unison with a smile to match hers.

Peggy and steve walked over to Laura, with Grace still in her arms, Peggy reached over and rubbed Laura’s arm “Laura I can’t thank you enough”

“Hey it was nothing, this little girl is a dream. Jeez are you two alright? You look worse than this one” Laura nodded to Clint as she ran her hand down his cheek without even looking at him, making him chuckle as he held Nathaniel in his arms.

As grace played with Steve’s dog tags that were around Peggy’s neck, she heard her parents let out a laugh at Laura’s comment. Steve shook his head and shrugged “We’ve been better but we’ve also been worse”

Laura raised her eyebrows “Comforting” she then laughed and looked to Clint. Steve and Peggy knew that she was dying to have time with him, but she was too polite to say it.

“Well, we better get going” steve said, going over to Clint and saying as he shook his head “Pick up the red head”

“Give her my best, yeah?” Clint requested as he patted Steve’s back. Peggy put Grace down as she said goodbye to her newly found friends and walked over to Clint “We certainly will”

Clint smiled and rubbed Peggy’s back as he gave her a fond hug. Peggy gave Laura another quick hug, as did Steve. Steve picked Grace up and held her on his hip.

They started walking down the field towards the jet.

“Now, Grace baby, when you see uncle buck, he’s a little tired and he had to have an operation on one of his arms because it got hurt” steve began to say, with peggy picking up where he paused “Yes and the doctors gave him a shiny metal arm so he could still be like us and live a _normal_ life-”

“Now Uncle Buck had an accident and his arm has been broken but we’re going to get it fixed-”

“What we are trying to say love is when you see his arm, don’t say anything, okay? Be polite just like we taught you”

Grace understood and nodded “Okay”

Steve kissed her cheek “That’s our girl”

Soon enough they came to the jet. Peggy called to Bucky and he let them in. Sitting back down in his chair, sat up straight with a kind expression on his face. Not wanting Grace to be scared about his arm, or perhaps him in general. Even now he was scared that he couldn’t trust himself. But he was with his friends, and for now he felt safe with them. He watched as Peggy walked in first, giving him a reassuring smile and wink as she turned to Steve who put Grace down on the floor and allowed her walk into the jet on her own. Grace of course noticed his arm, but she remembered what she was told and did not stare too long or commented, though it was a little freaky to her.

Grace looked at him nervously and gave him a little wave as she said quietly “Hi”

Bucky looked to Steve and Peggy, getting the vibe that it was all up to him to make a bond with her. Bucky let out a kind grin and leaned forward in his chair ever so slightly and held out his hand to her, lightly taking hold of it and softly shaking it “Hi, Grace, I’ve heard a lot about you”

“Really?” Grace brightened up. She loves being the centre of attention.

“Of course! And I gotta say you are just as pretty as your mom and dad said” he smiled as he slowly let go of her hand.

“You’re daddy’s best friend”

“Yeah that’s me. Without him I’d probably lose my other arm” he joked. Grace let out a small uncontrollable giggle. Peggy pressed her palms together and held them to her grinning mouth as she watched them bond.

“How does it feel to finally meet your godfather, Gracie?” Steve said as he walked over to the pilot's chair. Bucky looked at him, then Peggy. _Stunned_.

“Good!” Grace cheered. Bucky looked to her, with a stunned expression still on his face and then back to Peggy. He had no idea “Are...are you...really?”

“We had it reserved” Peggy said with a warm smile. Bucky felt himself getting choked up and he wasn’t quite sure why. Perhaps he felt like he really had his family back. He had been through so much with these two and knowing that even when he was out there, doing things that will always haunt him, even when all that was going on they still had hope for him and still treated him like family. Sometimes he couldn’t help but think they were too good for him. Almost like he didn’t deserve them. Bucky was brought back to earth when he saw Grace walk closer and wrapped her arms around his waist, Bucky looked to Peggy who just grinned and sat down beside him. Bucky let out a breathless laugh and wrapped his arm around her body.

“It feels good to meet you too, Grace”

Grace pulled away and grinned, she looked to Peggy and said “Mommy can I sit next to Uncle Bucky?”

Peggy pretended to be offended "I’m no longer good enough?”

Grace knew Peggy was acting and played along as she scrunched her nose up and shook her head, then giggling at Peggy’s gasp. Peggy then shuffled a little and patted the spare space that was in between Peggy and Bucky.

“We ready for the next adventure?” Steve called.

Peggy subtly pointed to Grace from above to Bucky, letting him know that Steve is wording it the way he was for her sake, which Bucky son caught onto. Bucky watched as Peggy laid her palm out flat, like some sort of routine as Grace put her hand in linked with it straight away, as Peggy looked to Steve and talked to him, Grace looked over to Bucky and held out her hand “We hold hands when the plane flies”

“Oohhh” Bucky looked at his broken arm again and looked to Grace with his eyebrows raised, he reached over and whispered as he took hold of her hand “Let’s use my good hand”

Grace giggled again and gripped onto his hand.

  



	11. Chapter 11

The flight to wherever the hell it was they were going took hours. Steve ended up letting the autopilot just do it’s thing and hanged back with his family. They slept for a few hours, told Grace stories about the three of them back in action. Grace fell back asleep, her legs resting on Steve as her head lay on Peggy’s lap. Peggy looked down at her sleeping daughter, gently running her fingers through her blonde locks as she listened to Steve and Bucky talk. 

“Remember that though? Your mom saw us try and sneak out one of your dad’s bourbon bottles” Bucky said with an amused smirk written across his face. Steve covered his face and let out a grumbled chuckle, dropping his hand onto his arm he looked up at the ceiling of the plane “God, she didn’t know what to do with herself”

“If it were my mom  we would have got our asses beat”

“Yeah well your mom was a hard ass” Steve muttered as he rested his hand on Grace’s legs. Steve turned to Peggy “What did Nat say?”

“I gave her the co-ordinates, she’s going to try and find a way here. When we get to this safe land, I’ll tell T’Challa so they don’t...shoot her down or something”

Steve and Bucky let out a small laugh. Peggy took her eyes to Bucky “Do you know what you’re going to say? To her”

Bucky gulped heavily and shook his head “Maybe she won’t get to us in time”

Steve and Peggy looked to each other for a moment, confused, they took their eyes back to Bucky. Steve leaned forward ever so slightly and shrugged “For what?”

Bucky sighed as he closed his eyes, shaking his head he sighed “I’ve come to a decision...if he has the facilities...I’m going to put myself back into... _ hibernation _ ” he did his best in putting it lightly. But it didn’t make Steve and Peggy feel any better about this statement. Peggy shook her head “No, Bucky you can’t-”

“Listen, it’s not decided. If he doesn’t have something that can knock me out then I’ll just have to cope and try to figure things out the hard way, but if he does-”

“You what? Take the easy way?” Steve shrugged.

“There’s is no easy way. But it would be the  _ best _ way”

Steve leaned his back against the wall, a little mind blown by all of this information. Bucky looked at them both and shook his head “Come on you two, let’s not think about it right now” he then sat back in his chair and shrugged “We’ll deal with it when we get there”

Peggy looked to Steve and said nothing, she just looked back down to Grace and continued to stroke her hair.

* * *

Another hour, and the view they saw as the clouds cleared took their breath away.

“We’re in the middle of the goddamn jungle” Steve whispered as his jaw dropped.

“You say that as if it’s a bad thing” Peggy said in a mutter as her eyes fixed on the view, Steve turned and saw Grace waking up. He took her in his arms and whispered “Look at where we are baby”

Grace’s eyes widened “Wow!”

Bucky looked down to Grace and smiled, looking back to the view, he leant his hand against the wall and peered his head forward “Well. He really wasn’t kidding when he said this place was secluded”

“That’s not exactly subtle now is it?” Peggy said as she pointed to the gigantic statue of a black panther looking over the entire area. It was magnificent. Like it was a guardian or something.

“I like it!” Grace exclaimed as her eyes gazed at the statue. Steve ruffled her hair and nodded as he took his eyes to it “I do too, mommy doesn’t appreciate art”

“That isn’t true” Peggy scoffed as she rolled her eyes, lightly stroking Grace’s cheek and whispering with a wink “You’re my favourite piece”

Grace giggled and took hold of Peggy’s hand.

Their was a landing pad that suddenly opened up for them. With T’Challa stood with his security, ready to welcome them in. Grace seeing the men with guns made her feel nervous. Peggy and Steve saw this clearly and did their best to reassure them, Peggy pointed to T’Challa “That man in the black jumper is a friend, and he is the one that bosses around all those other men, so don’t worry, we will be fine. Okay?”

Grace remained unsure for a little while longer, but then nodded and smiled “Okay”

_ “Quinjet prepared for landing. Please take your seats” _

The autopilot called to them, the four of them obeyed and took their seats. Peggy looked to Bucky and saw him take a deep breath, Peggy raised an eyebrow to him and asked a question she asked a while ago in a quiet voice “What do you think you’ll say to Natasha?”

Bucky sighed and shook his head as he thought about things more and more “I guess...I’ll know when I see her. I can’t think about it right now, my heads a little messed up. I have decisions to make”

“If you are still adamant that  _ going under _ is still what you want after you listen to what the doctors here can tell you, then we will support you, stand by your choice”

Bucky smiled and gave her a grateful nod “Thank you”

The plane soon landed and the door opened for them to step out. Their time of being happy in each others company was soon over as they were hit with the truth of their freedom still being in danger, though they did trust T’Challa, it was still a worry. They were all worried for Bucky. T’Challa had his hands behind his back, with a soft smile on his face he gave a small bow “Captain. Director. Soldier” he then looked to Grace and smiled “Little one. Welcome”

Peggy stuck out her hand and shook his “We appreciate your help”

“Consider this as a formal apology” T’Challa said with a small smile as he dropped his hand, looking over her shoulder he took a good look at Bucky’s broken arm “We will get our doctors to help with that”

“Replace it?” Steve questioned as he looked to his best friend and then back to the prince. T’Challa shook his head “That will take some time. But we can work on it, clean it up as you would say. Get rid of all the loose wires and wrap it up so it is not a... _ hazard _ ”

Bucky looked to Steve and nodded as he took another deep breath. Bucky walked forward and took hold of T’Challa’s hand that was stuck out for him to shake. T’Challa bowed his head for a moment “I am sorry that I blamed you for my father”

“And I'm sorry about your father” Bucky nodded as he dropped his hand.

T’Challa looked behind him and then motioned his hand to the four of them to follow him in, they did so. T’Challa explained to them that they wouldn’t be treated like prisoners but as guests. They didn’t have to worry about wandering through the building. The only rule they really had was to keep out of the medical staff’s way when they were doing work. But they were on the other side of the building than where they would be saying so it’s doubtful that they would. They stopped when they came in between the side of the building where Steve, Peggy and Grace would be staying and where Bucky would be taken for medical treatment.

“I will be taking you to your living area. But first, Mr Barnes will be taken by my head doctor into medical department”

Steve and Peggy nodded as they understood whilst Grace stayed a little clueless. The way he was speaking was all too complicated for her to grasp. Steve walked over to Bucky first, putting his hand on his shoulder, Steve shot him a small smile “See you on the other side, bud”

“You make that sound as if we’re dying”

Steve laughed and shook his head and patted his back “We’ll see you in the morning”

Bucky nodded as Steve stepped back and picked up Grace, Peggy put her hand on Bucky’s cheek for a brief moment and gave him a kind smile “See you tomorrow” 

“Yeah” Bucky whispered with a returning grin “Get some rest”

“I give out the orders, remember”

“Yes ma’am. Had a whole war to remember that”

Peggy smiled and rubbed his hand before stepping back. Grace, who had her sleepy head resting on Steve’s shoulder, gave Bucky a little wave. Still not understanding what was going on and it would be too difficult to explain. She’d only say  _ why _ after each explanation. Bucky just gave her a soft wave back before walking away with the doctors to get checked out and so they could start their work on his arm. Steve rubbed Grace’s back as he and Peggy followed T’Challa through the building.

* * *

Steve and Peggy had their own room, whilst Grace had one of the own next door. In a way this place was like the compound. But it didn’t feel like home, not like it did back there. Where they had their own things which decorated the room. No photo frames on the side of their times together, with the team and with Grace. None of that. They wouldn’t have a change of clothes until tomorrow. When Peggy spoke to Natasha, she promised that she would get them clothes and bring them when she arrived, which would be either tomorrow morning or afternoon. Depending on how fast she can get a jet.

T’Challa left them to it fifteen minutes ago. During that time, Grace was tucked into her bed. Sung to sleep and was out like a light. She was already falling asleep when Steve was carrying her up to her room, so she was easily sent to sleep once in the bed. Steve and Peggy returned to their own room. T’Challa provided them with a toothbrush each and toothpaste.

“Do you think he’ll start up and bed and breakfast?” Peggy laughed as she began to brush her teeth.

“Hey make fun now but he’s the one who’s keeping your teeth clean” Steve called from the other side of the room. Peggy leant against the door frame of the bathroom and looked at him as he took off his shirt. Staring at his beautifully crafted body that she never gets tired of looking at. Peggy smirked and spat back in the sink before drinking a glass of water, wiping her mouth and walking back into the bedroom.

With his back to her, Steve felt her lips press against his bare back. He turned and smirked at her, gently cupping her face, he pulled her lips to his and pressed them together, their tongues brushing together as he tightly wrapped his arms around her waist. Peggy smiled as she lightly bit his lip “I’ve missed you”

His hands rubbed her back and gripped onto her backside. Lifting her up, Peggy wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. Peggy pulled her head back and looked into his eyes “I have to tell you something”

Steve raised an eyebrow “What? Are you pregnant again?”

Peggy laughed and shook her head “No, no I’m not but it’s...it actually involves that so to speak”

Steve tilted his head and lowered her back down. Peggy sat on the bed and pulled him down to sit beside her. Peggy ran her fingers through her hair before looking back at him, she shook her head and shrugged “I think...that I want out of this” 

“Out of what?”

“Out of this line of work”

Steve stared at her a little stunned. Which was the reaction she was kind of expecting, before he could say anything. Already knowing what he was going to say she beat him to it and answered him before the question was even asked “I know I said I wanted to give it a few more years. This job has been...my life ever since Michael signed me up all those years ago. I loved this job and love what I do. But i love you and our little girl in there _so_ much more...we were close this time Steve. Too bloody close. To dying. To getting locked up. To never seeing Grace again. I cannot bare to stomach that feeling again. It’s taken all of this to make me realise it”

Steve looked down at their entwined hands to then hear her add on “I want another baby, Steve”

Steve took his eyes to her, Peggy shook her head and kept her voice soft and gentle “Not right now, but one day, hopefully not too far away I want another baby. We need to take a leaf out of Clint’s book and know when to step down”

Steve understood, she knew this by the way he was nodding along to what she had said, he then smirked and joked “Who will fill our boots though?”

“Natasha is more than capable. Perhaps Bucky will fill in yours with his name cleared...this is all depending on if things ever get back to the way they were. Which is a long shot”

“So we run?”

Peggy stroked his hair on the back of his head, scanning his face she let out a soft smile and rubbed her lips together “Running is a fairly dramatic term. I’m saying  _ if _ we ever get back on the right side of the government. If Tony does try to clear our name like he said he would to me. If we  _ ever _ get the slightest element of the way our life used to be...we step down from the _field work_ ”

Steve ran his fingers through her hair “You make good points”

“This is all hypothetical, we may never even have to bother with these decisions. But I just needed to tell you, get it off my chest”

“Well, thank you for being honest with me, and like you said if we ever get any of that back, then we’ll make decisions. There’s only one decision that we have to make right now”

Peggy rubbed her nose against his and whispered “What?”

Steve smirked and nodded as he moved his head to hers “I think you already know”

“And I think you already know my answer” Peggy said in a heavy whisper, taking her lips both to his and roughly pushed him down on the bed. Lying on top of him, she ran her fingers through the top of his head and ran it back down to his cheek. Steve pulled her top over her head and threw it to the ground. Their breathing grew heavier. Peggy unbuckled his belt and smirked against his lips as he grumbled a laugh. Peggy moved her lips away from his, she pressed her forehead against his chest as she looked down at her hands that were taking Steve’s belt off, closing her eyes, Peggy pressed her lips against his chest. Bringing her head back up, Steve put his hand on her cheek and took his lips to her neck. To her weak spot.

Peggy bit her lip and let out a soft moan as his hand moved down to the waistline of her pants.

Taking heavy breaths, Peggy looked into his eyes, with her lips touching his ever so lightly she whispered “God I love you”

Steve smiled “I love you too”

“Now kiss me”

Steve muttered a laugh. He put his hand on the back of her head and pulled her lips back down onto his. Both giggling as they held onto each other tighter and fooled around even more before getting to the main event.

* * *

The next morning. Bucky’s arm was fixed up for now whilst the mechanics and scientists worked together to make him a new arm, far better than the one that he had before hopefully. But Bucky had the question for T’Challa that had been playing on his mind ever since they got here. If he could go back into Cryogenic sleep. After a discussion with the scientist, he came back and confirmed that he could. Now that it was a possibility, it made Bucky slightly nervous. What if they never found a cure for his  _ condition _ ? Will he ever be able to go on with his life? In fear that those words can make him snap. In fear that some nut job like Zemo could get those words into their hands and use it. It was frightening for him. But he’d never admit just how nervous he was.

Bucky didn’t go in it straight away, he was waiting. Peggy knew exactly what for.

“He’s waiting for her” Peggy said as she and Steve watched him through the glass doors. Peggy covered her lips with her fingertips and shook her head, then crossing her arms and looking to the side “Come on Nat. He won’t hang around forever”

“Don’t you think it’d be easier for her if he did it? No goodbyes”

“Like last time?” Peggy said as she looked back to Steve, she shook her head “Saying goodbye is better that not being able to say goodbye. Think back to you on that plane. If I didn’t get the chance to say goodbye to you it would have hurt  _ so _ much more” Peggy put her arm around his back, looking over to Grace who was drawing from the colouring book she had in her bag when she was taken to the farm.

Peggy’s phone suddenly went off, she looked down to the message and grinned.

_ Guess who’s hereeee _

__ -N _ _

 

Peggy got up on her tiptoes and gave Steve a quick kiss on the cheek, pointing to Grace she said “Stay here with her”

“Where are you going?” he called as he watched her practically run away. Then hearing her call back in what could only be described as a melody “She’s here!”

Steve let out a small laugh and turned to Grace. 

Peggy ran towards the landing pad, where she saw Natasha’s jet touching down. Peggy clarified to the security that this was the person that Peggy had given the coordinates to. Natasha stepped out of the jet and beamed a smile to her friend who stood in front of her. She dropped her bags on the ground and ran towards her. Natasha quickly wrapped her arms around Peggy’s neck as Peggy’s wrapped around her waist.

They didn’t say anything for a moment, they just hugged each other other and soaked up the moment. Peggy was actually scared that she wouldn’t get to see Natasha for a long time. Thank god Natasha put that phone in that envelope.

“Are you okay?” Natasha asked in a muffled tone as her head rested in the crook of Peggy’s neck, then feeling Peggy nod. Natasha pulled her head back and looked to Peggy, scanning her face “I got make up for you, cover up these bruises”

“Thank you” Peggy sighed with relief. Natasha looked into the brit’s eyes “Steve alright?”

“Yes”

“Grace?”

“Perfect”

Natasha rubbed her lips together with hesitation of the tip of her tongue along with her question, finally managing to stumble out the words “And James?”

Peggy stared at Natasha for a moment longer and bowed her head down for a moment, which caused Natasha to have a momentary panic. Peggy looked back up to her and nodded “He’s alright...but he’s…”

"What?”

Peggy sighed and took a moment “He wants to go back into Cryogenic sleep”

Natasha’s face dropped. Her mind suddenly casting back to the last time. When she was forced to watch him go back into that damn thing. Back then it was against his will. But hearing that he’s asking for it confused her “Are you joking?”

“No, he mentioned it last night and then T’Challa has told him that it can be done so he…”

Her sentence came to a hold as Natasha soon walked past her in a march “Natasha” she sighed in a bid to stop her, but if anything Natasha picked up the pace “Natasha!” Peggy shouted in a whisper. Peggy grabbed the bags that were dumped on the floor and quickly followed Natasha. 

If anything Natasha seemed angry. Something that Bucky had seen before and something that he wasn’t overly fond of. Natasha came storming over, seeing Steve and Grace she put on a smile to over shadow her slight boiling anger as her goddaughter ran to her “Hey Gracie”

“Auntie Net” Grace cheered as Natasha picked her up, Natasha shook her head and muttered as she tickled the child’s stomach “We need to work on that”

Natasha put Grace back down and looked over to Steve as he walked over “You look like shit” she muttered and she hugged him. 

“Thanks” Steve laughed. Natasha patted his back “Now where the hell is he?” Natasha turned her head and saw him through the glass door, in conversation with the doctors. Natasha took a deep breath and walked in.

Bucky jumped when the door banged shut, then seeing Natasha walk over to him. She took his breath away, but for a brief moment when he saw the look on her face. Bucky dismissed the doctor and remained seated on the bed. Natasha stopped in front of him, merely a few centimeters away from him. Natasha stared at him, she hadn’t given this face a good look in around thirteen years. But it wasn’t exactly the heartfelt reunion she had pictured.

“Hi” Bucky finally said.

Natasha stared at him with a cold look and nodded “Hi-what the hell happened to your arm?”

“Tony found out about I was responsible for his parent’s death...Peggy’s told you-”

“That you want to go back into Cryogenic sleep? Yes she has. What are you thinking, James?”

Bucky sighed and shook his head “It’s different this time”

“Different? Being put to sleep in the exact same way as last time is different”

“It’s different because it’s my choice. I don’t have true control over my own mind. What life can I have if there’s always a risk of being made to be a killer again”

Natasha closed her eyes for a moment and bowed her head down, she didn’t say anything to him. Bucky tilted his head as he looked at her “Natalia”

Natasha let out a grumbled laugh as she looked up at the ceiling, shaking her head to try and keep her emotions under check. No one calls her that. Just like no one calls him  _ James _ . It’s simply something that the two now share. She felt his hand touch her arm for a gentle brief moment to get her attention back to him. Bucky shook his head and shrugged “You know it’s what’s right” he tilted his head to grab her eye contact “Hey, i’ve missed you. Honest to god I have”

Natasha stared at him, trying not to get upset she asked in a cracked voice “Then why-”

“The outcome of me going under will be better than last time, when I come out the next time it will be for the better, I will have control of my own mind again after fifty years of being under someone else’s control”

Natasha crossed her arms and stared at him for a moment, biting her lip, she then said “You’re a good man”

Bucky smiled and shook his head “Not really, no...but you’re the only one who understand that”

It fell silent between the two for a moment, Natasha let out a shaky breath and aid in a dry cracked voice, looking away from him “I can’t be in here” she looked back into his eyes and added “When they put you under. I know it’s different but it wouldn’t make it any easier. So I can’t”

“I understand” Bucky nodded. Deep down he wished that he could have her here but he understood how hard it would be for her “It’s unfair in a way. We just got back in each other’s life”

Natasha nodded and bit her lip once again “Yeah well, the world never does us two any favours does it?” she felt herself getting upset. So to stop herself from crying in front of him, something she has only ever done once. Natasha wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder, feeling his arm wrap around her body. She held onto him tighter, gripping to the back of his head, Natasha pressed her forehead against his shoulder and took a deep breath before pulling back, putting her hands on his shoulders.

Natasha leaned forward once again and pressed her lips against his cheek, Bucky shut his eyes and gripped to her waist. Natasha then took a deep breath and whispered in his ear “Bye, James”

Bucky let go of her waist as she quickly turned away and walked back to the door.

Natasha took a deep breath as she leant her back against the class. Peggy walked over to her, putting her hand on her arm “Are you alright?”

Natasha took a moment, keeping her eyes closed and letting out another deep breath. Her eyes opened as she nodded “Yeah. I’m fine” Natasha looked to Grace “If you guys want to be in there when he...I’ll stay out here with Grace” 

Natasha finally brought her eyes back to Peggy and shook her head “I can’t go through watching that again”

Peggy rubbed Natasha’s arm and gave her a sympathetic expression that Natasha just hated getting no matter what the situation ever was, Peggy raised her eyebrows and checked “Are you sure?”“Yes, yes I’m sure. I think he’s ready to do it so...you better go in”

Peggy saw how hurt Natasha was feeling. It was clear, especially seeing her face after seeing him that she still loved him.

Even though she tried to bury down, Peggy knew. She also knew better than to argue with her. Besides she wouldn’t dare to anyway. Natasha admitted how scarred the first time left her, she didn’t blame her for not wanting to see that again, even if it is for the better. Natasha put her hands on her hips and said in a hushed tone “Does Grace understand any of this?”

“We’ve just told her that he has to go to sleep for a little while to get better, like a big nap. She just associated it with  _ Sleeping Beauty _ ”

“That’s a nice way of looking at it” Natasha muttered as she looked down to her boots for a moment, taking another moment she looked up and whispered “I’m fine”

She said nothing else and just past Peggy, over to Grace and sat down with her. Peggy turned to see Steve walking over to her, looking behind him to Natasha himself for a moment and muttering as he faced Peggy “She okay?”

“I wouldn’t be” Peggy shrugged, then sighing and shaking it off, Peggy opened the glass door “Come on”

Steve and Peggy walked in, to see the Doctor give Bucky his final check up and getting his soon to be resting place ready. With his hands in his pockets, Steve walked over to him and asked “You sure about this?”

Bucky looked away from Steve and looked out to both Natasha and Grace “I can’t trust my own mind” then taking a heartbreaking smile back to Steve. Peggy leaned against the bed beside Bucky and looked at him as he added on “So until they figure out how to get this stuff out of my head i think going back under is the best thing”

“For who?” Peggy asked softly. In a way to tell Bucky that he didn’t  _ need _ to do this. And he knew what she was doing, he shrugged “I can’t live like this, playing with Grace thinking I’m being watched in case I snap”

Steve shook his head and took his hand out of his pocket, shaking it “But we would never-”

“I know. But that’s what  _ I’ll _ be thinking. Do you think I made this decision lightly? It involves saying goodbye to you two, my best friend, my newly found goddaughter...and the woman I love. This was never an easy choice. But it’s the best thing for  _ everybody _ ”

Steve and Peggy finally let themselves come to terms with what Bucky was deciding to do. This was his choice and it was to make himself feel better in the long run. T’Challa promises to find a cure and he is strangely trustworthy with everything he says, because they know he truly means it. They both nodded, their hearts dropping a little. Bucky cleared his throat and said with a small laugh “Come on you two, it’s just goodbye for now. It’s not like I’m dying. I’m gonna get better”

“We’re just going to miss you” Peggy said with a weak smile “We’ve just got this little gang back together”

“We’ll have to put our tradition of a bottle of bourbon around a campfire on hold for just a little while longer” Steve added “Sucks”

Bucky laughed “There’ll always be time for that when I get back” he stood up from the bed and slapped his hand on Steve’s shoulder “Come here punk”

“Jerk” Steve sighed and they hugged tightly, patting each others back and just taking another moment longer. Feeling like it was  _ 1942 _ all over again.

_ “Don’t do anything stupid till I get back” _

_ “How can I? Takin’ all the stupid with you” _

Bucky slapped Steve’s back once more before pulling back and muttering “Remember. Nothing stupid”

Steve rolled his eyes and let out a small breathless laugh. Bucky smiled and then turned to Peggy “Take care of him, gorgeous”

“Always do” Peggy nodded as she wrapped her arms around his neck and held onto him tight. Peggy opened her eyes with her head resting on his shoulder and added “I’ll take care of her too”

“Good. Because she does more stupid things than he does” Bucky laughed, rubbing Peggy’s back and pulling away “I’ll see you soon, Director”

Peggy thought for a moment and raised her eyebrows, surprising herself “It might just be Mrs Rogers now”

Bucky shook his head “You’ll always be more”

Peggy smiled and pinched his chin as he stepped away and turned to the doctors. Peggy walked over to Steve and wrapped her arms around him as they watched Bucky take a deep breath and nodded to whatever the Doctor was saying, he looked to Steve and Peggy once more before stepping inside the chamber. He closed his eyes and remained still once strapped in and the chamber was closed. The ice soon filled up and he was officially under Cryogenic sleep. Peggy kissed Steve’s hand as he let out a shaky deep breath, gulping heavily he nodded as he stared at his best friend. Peggy looked over and saw hers looking over, seems like she couldn’t be in the room but that didn’t stop her from watching. Peggy saw her eyes that were glazed with water. Peggy looked back to Steve and saw the sad look on his face, with their hands linked, she put her free hand on his arm and kissed it before resting her head against it and looking up at him “Come on, darling”

Peggy led him slowly out of the room and walked back out to Grace. Who saw the look on her father’s face she quickly made her way over to him with concern. As she did that, Natasha shot up and walked down the hall with her hand covering her mouth. Peggy slid her hand away from Steve’s shoulder and ran after her.

“Hey” Peggy called, Natasha didn’t stop, Peggy ran forward and said as she took hold of the red head’s hand “Hey, hey, hey” Natasha faced Peggy but avoided eye contact, Peggy pushed the strands of hair behind Natasha’s ear and stared at her. Natasha took a step back and pressed her back against the wall, taking deep breaths “I’m fine”

“Liar”

Natasha looked at her “What?”

“It’s okay not to be fine once in awhile and you’re not fine”

Natasha covered her face with the palm of her hand and shook her head. Then feeling Peggy grab hold of it and whisper “Come here” she was pulled into a loving embrace. Peggy stroked the back of Natasha’s hair as she felt her friend's body  _ un-tense _ and mutter “I’ve been missing him for thirteen years I thought I was done”

Natasha let out an emotional sigh “I’ve never told you this but sometimes I just look at you and Steve and think  _ god I want that, I want someone to love me like that... _ and you know what?”

Peggy raised her eyebrows as a silent way of saying  _ ‘what?’ _

Natasha stared at her for a moment as her eyes filled up and then said with a whimper sneaking up in her voice “He did. He did love me like that”

Peggy frowned and put her hand on Natasha’s cheek “Tash...you can always get that back”

“Yeah right” she scoffed.

“You have come to this conclusion that you don’t deserve love. You’ve tried to convince yourself that you don’t want it. Everyone wants to be loved”

Natasha went to answer back, Peggy quickly cut her off as she already knew what she was going to say and said with a smile “Loved by someone who isn’t me. God knows I do but you know what I am  _ really _ talking about. Not loved by friends”

Natasha rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, rubbing her lips together, she let out a long shrug “So I take it he told you”

“He did, he was brief, just gave me the basic facts. Including the fact that he still loves you”

“Hm he told you that, he’s too stubborn to tell me that”

“Well then you’re made for each other. Both stubborn arses”

Natasha looked at her foot softly rocking back and forth, tapping the wall, pressing her head back against the wall, she cracked a small smile and shrugged “Where do we go from here, Carter?”

Peggy looked to Steve with Grace and shrugged “We wait” 


	12. Chapter 12

They waited. They waited so much till it began to drive them crazy. They knew T’Challa and his team were doing the best they could and they didn’t want to come across as ungrateful or impatient. But they were unintentionally becoming impatient. Natasha especially. She walked past that damn lab everyday for the past four weeks and had to see him in that chamber, frozen and _gone_ once again.

This was the _30th_ morning she had walked past him. Natasha stopped and stared at him, longer than usual. T’Challa approached her, looking at Bucky before taking his eyes back to her, he held his hands together behind his back “You care for him”

Natasha snapped out of her gaze and looked to him “Hm?”

T’Challa held his hands up for a brief moment “Forgive me if I overstep boundaries, Miss Romanoff. It’s just I have noticed that every morning you stop at this spot and take time to look at Mr Barnes. Like you are checking up on him”

Natasha crossed her arms and looked back to Bucky “You have very good observation skills”

“As I have tried to reassure Captain Rogers and Director Rogers, we are trying our best to bring your friend back to you”

Natasha shot him a faint smile and said in a dry voice “Thank you” she briefly touched his arm before turning away and walking through the rest of the building. Natasha tends to do exactly what she just did, walk away from an intense conversation before she had to open up. She could only open up to a limited amount of people, and T’Challa wasn’t one of them.

_“James! Are you insane?” Natasha gasped as she shot up from her bed, seeing the shadowed figure climb through her bedroom window. If it weren’t for that metal arm, she would have tackled him to the floor for not knowing who he was._

_Natasha leaned over and turned her side lamp on. Bucky walked over and sat on the end of her bed “Maybe I am. But I needed to see you”_

_"If any of the other instructors see you they’ll do god knows what”_

_“They haven’t caught me before”_

_Natasha rubbed her lips together and tilted her head, she reached over and touched his cheek “Every time worries me, I feel like you’ll run out of luck in getting away with this”_

_Bucky took hold of her hand and lightly kissed it before nuzzling his head back against it and whispered as he looked into her eyes “I don’t care”_

_“Well I do..I also can’t go on living like this”_

_“You want a normal life?”_

_Natasha shrugged and dropped her hand “Yes. With you”_

_Bucky shook his head and sighed “They’ve promised you to Shostakov”_

_“I don’t care who’ve they promised me too. I don’t love him. I love you” Natasha shuffled forward in her bed and rested her hands on the back of his neck “We’ve talked about running away, James...why can’t be act upon it and just run”_

_“Because I’m scared for your safety if we do...Natalia I was programmed not to love or care for anyone. But you’re my exception. If anything happened to you-”_

_Natasha pulled him close and pressed their lips together in order to stop his mumbling, Natasha pressed her forehead against his “I know. But if we don’t try then we’ll never get to be happy”_

_All of a sudden the door burst open, with three guards charging into the room. Someone had tipped them off when they saw Bucky climb up to the bedroom window. Bucky jumped up from the bed as did Natasha. She put her arm in front of him and shook her head as they shouted over them both. Bucky put his hands on Natasha’s shoulders and nudged her to the side as the guards grabbed hold of him. Natasha went to push one of them back and was thrown against the wall. Causing Bucky to swing punches and trying to get to her as one of the guards held her down._

_“I swear to god i’ll kill you!” She heard him yell as she tried to shake off the blow to her head. Natasha looked up at him and saw him being dragged out, still fighting them off “James…”_

That was the last time she saw him since two years ago. It was the last time she spoke to him since over a month ago. It wasn’t the greatest last memory to ever hold. In fact it was one of the worst moments of her life. The absolute worst was when they dragged Natasha into their labs and forced her to watch Bucky be put in Cryogenic sleep.

_“James! No...what have they done to you?!”_

Natasha cleared her throat and shook it off as she turned the corner into the living quarters, seeing Steve drawing with Grace. Who had turned three just four days ago. _22nd September._ She was a month premature which was one of the scariest times of Steve and Peggy’s life, not knowing that much about when a woman has a premature baby. But luckily Grace responded to treatment perfectly. They promised her a big birthday bash when they get home. When that would be exactly they couldn’t promise.

“Hey you two” Natasha said, putting her hands on her hips.

Grace looked up and held her picture up “Auntie Net, look!”

Natasha gasped at the drawing which she had no idea what it really was “That’s amazing! Got ourselves a young Da Vinci on our hands” she took her eyes to Steve and saw the slightly dull expression on his face “What’s with you?”

Steve looked down to his daughter who had now took her focus back onto her drawing, Steve nodded into the room behind them “She’s being off”

“Off? How?”

“She’s been down all morning, hasn’t drank or even ate anything. I can’t help but think that it’s getting to her, being kept up in here”

Natasha looked at him, finding it rather hard to believe that something such as this would get her down, she crossed her arms once again “Being kept in a luxury compound is getting Peggy Carter down?”

“I know it sounds weird but she has been down all day”

Natasha looked down the hall and muttered as she began to walk down it, giving his shoulder a squeeze as she passed him. She knocked on the door before slowly opening it. Seeing Peggy sat on the sofa in the living room, her knees up to her chest and resting her head on her hand as she looked out of the window.  

“Are you making a _tumblr post_?”

Peggy turned to her “Hm?”

“You look miserable” Natasha elaborated as she stepped further into the room. Peggy let out a faint smile as she caught on and hummed a weak laugh as she looked back to the window. Natasha laid her hands on the top of the couch and stared at her “What’s wrong?”

Peggy shrugged “I don’t know, I just feel down”

“Too down to eat?”

Peggy stretched out on the couch and looked to Natasha “Haven’t had an appetite”

Natasha sighed, she tapped Peggy’s shoulder “Come on. Let’s get some fresh air”

There was a rather large amount of land that surrounded the compound that had an electric fence around the compound’s perimeter. It didn’t kill any animals, T’Challa would never agree to that, but all it would do would give them a small shock that would shoo them off. Most of the animals didn’t even both coming too close to get that shock. Grace rather enjoyed being outside and watching some of the animals walk past. It was like the zoo that Steve and Peggy promised to take her.

Fresh air might do her some good. Peggy slowly stood up from the couch and nodded, taking a deep breath. Natasha rubbed her back as Peggy tucked her hands into her jean pockets and walked over to the door. With Natasha trailing behind her. Steve and Grace joined them, Grace would take any excuse to go outside.

* * *

Peggy watched as Steve took Grace on his shoulders and took her for a stroll. She crossed her arms and looked up at her surroundings “Usually. A surrounding such as this would be breathtaking to me...but I would rather be back at that bloody compound staring into a field”

“Understandable. That place was home...to all of us”

Peggy put her hands on the back of her neck and let out a deep breath, closing her eyes for a brief moment. They hadn’t heard a peep out of anyone back home. Not Tony. Not Sam. No-one. All they had was each other. And usually that would be enough, but it was becoming surreal having no-one else. She muttered out “I just want to get home”

“I know, me too” Natasha said, rubbing Peggy’s back again. Then suddenly, Peggy fell to the floor. Fainted.

“Peg!” Natasha gasped, kneeling down beside her, lightly tapping her cheeks to try and wake her up. Soon enough, Steve came sprinting over, Grace was looked after by T’Challa who was a few meters away. Steve knelt beside her and cupped her face “Pegs? Baby, baby what’s wrong. What happened, Natasha?”

“I don’t know. We were talking and then-”

T’Challa walked over, with Grace holding onto his trouser as she peered around and looked at her mother on the floor “We should get her inside, have the doctors check her”

Steve took hold of Peggy in his arms and picked her up, he looked to Natasha and nodded down to Grace “Nat, your godmother skills would really come in handy right now” Steve carried on walking as Natasha attended to Grace. Steve looked to Peggy and whispered “What’re you doing to me” he leaned down and kissed her forehead before speeding up his pace into the building.

* * *

“I don’t know what happened” Peggy muttered in bed as Steve stroked her forehead. Steve rubbed his lips, sitting back and taking hold of her hand, bringing it to his cheek he said with a light laugh “I think you were just being dramatic”

“Shut up” Peggy whispered as she sunk her head back into her pillow. Steve placed a kiss on her knuckles. Peggy looked around the room and said in a dry voice “Where’s my baby?”

“Natasha is fine”

Peggy let out an amused exhausted smirk and slapped his cheek the one one he held close. Steve let out a wounded laugh “Grace is fine she’s in her room playing with Natasha”

“Did she see?”

Steve shook his head “She didn’t see you fall, she saw you on the ground but that’s it. Natasha patched things up with her pretty quickly”

Peggy nodded, her throat felt so dry it was scratchy. Steve got up and fetched her a cup of water. As he returned to her and gave her the glass. The doctor came in and nodded “That is exactly what you needed?”

Steve practically spun in his chair “Is she going to be okay?” he felt Peggy’s hand touch his arm and whisper “Darling, relax”

“Your wife is right, Captain Rogers, you can relax. Mrs Rogers was simply dehydrated and also felt faint due to not having anything to eat this morning like you told me”

Peggy rolled her eyes and muttered “Thank you for that, Steven” she cleared her throat and looked to the doctor, giving a shrug “I just wasn’t hungry this morning”

“Well your body probably felt overwhelmed given the _situation_. But you and baby are both fine”

Steve and Peggy stared at the doctor. Stunned. More than stunned in fact. Steve’s grip around Peggy’s hand tightened. Peggy gulped heavily “I’m sorry...me and who?”

The doctor’s eyes flickered back and forth from Steve to Peggy, soaking in their expressions. He raised his eyebrows and slowly shook his head “You two...you aren’t aware of the pregnancy”

“Does it look like we’re aware?” Steve said with a bewildered look on his face. Sitting back in his chair with his hand still clutching to Peggy. The doctor lowered his hands and held his clipboard to his side “Well...I will leave you two to…” he cleared his throat and headed to the door “Congratulations”

As soon as the door shut, Steve turned around and leaned forward, pressing his lips against hers. Peggy gripped onto the back of his head and pulled him close. Both letting out sobbing giggles as their lips stayed attached for a moment longer. Peggy stroked his cheek as she looked into his eyes, with overwhelming happy tears streaming down her cheeks.

Steve wiped her tears and smiled to her “Something to smile about”

Peggy nodded and repeated in a whisper “Something to smile about” Steve kissed her again, he sat up on the bed beside her and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close and placed a kiss on the top of her head “Looks like the baby plan is already underway”

Peggy giggled as she nuzzled her head in his chest, drawing circles on it with her finger tip and said gently “I suppose we are just too good”

Steve put his finger under her chin and lifted her head to lock eyes with her, Peggy smiled and whispered “Are you happy?”

“Yeah” Steve grinned “Are you?”

Peggy rested her head back on the pillow and dryly joked “Um”

“ _Um_?” Steve raised his eyebrows as she giggled. Peggy looked back to him and gripped onto his shirt “Come here” she whispered, bringing her lips back to pressing against his. Peggy looked back into his eyes “I love you”

“I love you” Steve kissed her forehead, he then leaned down and kissed her stomach. Peggy ran her fingers through the back of his hair as he did so and grinned. Her heart fluttered as well butterflies bursting in her. Steve pulled his head back up to her, stroking her cheek and gazing at her “I can’t begin to tell you how much happiness you’ve brought into my life, first you _dance_ with me, then you _marry_ me...you give me a beautiful daughter and now…”

Steve softly sighed as he became a loss of words, he bowed his head down “I know I’ve said this a thousand times...but...to think that” he paused as he lifted his head and looked to the wall for a moment “That I thought I would never have the chance to live a life with you. To think that I wouldn’t have ever been able to see you again, till you were old and wrinkly and joined me _up there_ ” he lightly laughed, taking his eyes to her, rubbing his lips together “I have been so lucky in being able to have my second chance with you”

Peggy placed her hand on his cheek “As was I”

“Baby” Steve whispered, closing his eyes and giving her a soft quick kiss “I won’t let anything ever tear our family apart again. Ever. Especially with it now growing”

“We won’t let anything tear our family part again. _We_. Don’t shift all of this onto you, Steve, we both made this decision. Stop guilt tripping yourself. For my sake, because I hate seeing you beat yourself up”

“Okay...I’m sorry”

“Shut up” Peggy whispered, pulling him close again and hugging him tightly and adding “Just focus on the now. Focus on being happy and excited about this baby”

“What about scared?” Steve laughed.

“Scared is always a feeling given when having a child” Peggy muttered as she rubbed Steve’s back, pulling her head back and smiling “But, we are pretty good at this”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah I think we might _actually_ know what we are doing when it comes to parenting”

* * *

Three weeks past after that. Peggy wasn't showing yet. Even when she will it will probably only be a small bump like with Grace.  Natasha wished that if she would have ever had kids that she would have a small bump like hers.

Grace was ecstatic about having a new baby brother or sister. She hoped for a sister obviously. Steve silently wished for the opposite. Having a little boy would be fun. Instead of having to be Grace’s makeup doll, he could instead play soccer or football for a change. But he’ll never say that out loud because Peggy gets all defensive and says how Grace could get into all that in time.

They visited Bucky everyday. They spoke to him, even though they didn’t really know if he could hear them. But doctors always say it’s good to speak to them. It was like coma patients. They saw how his beard was getting thicker and his hair had gotten a little longer. He had been in this thing for nearly two months now, it was expected.

A month and a half usually didn’t seem that long. But the fact that it was taking this long to find a cure for Bucky it was beginning to become a worry. The doctors were in here every day. Had the highest kind of technology. Some even more advanced than Tony’s. So why couldn’t they tell them anything?

“These things take time, love” Peggy said as Steve stared at Bucky through the glass door. Steve clenched his jaw and took a breath “This long?”

“You’re not a doctor” She shrugged as she crossed her arms “They know what they are doing”

“It’s just the fact that they aren’t telling us anything” Steve said as he dropped his arms and turned to her “If they told us something then I’d feel better”

“So go and ask them” Peggy shrugged “What harm could that do?”

Suddenly, on the other side of the glass, inside the lab the doctors began to shout. Causing Steve and Peggy’s heads to snap to them, and get slightly worried. The doctors started darting around the lab to each other and checking through things. Steve quickly opened the door and stepped in “What’s going on?”

The doctor who announced Steve and Peggy’s pregnancy stopped in his treks and looked to Steve, a taken back smile was running across his face “We may have cracked it!”

“May? Or have?” Steve said with impatience. Peggy walked up behind him and placed her hand on his back as she waited for the doctor’s response. The doctor shrugged “It seems that _have_ is more of the correct term!” he scurried off over to his gear.

Steve and Peggy’s eyes locked onto each other. Peggy patted Steve’s arm “I’ll go and get Nat” she slid her hand away from his arm and walked back out. Making her way _quickly_ to Grace’s room where Natasha was looking after her. Peggy opened the door to quickly be shushed by Natasha as she put her finger to her lips, stroking Grace’s hair as she fell asleep. Natasha slowly stood up from kneeling beside the bed and crept towards Peggy, whispering “I just got her off”

Peggy looked to Grace as she stepped to the side to let Natasha out and then quietly closed the door. Grace falling to sleep couldn’t have come at a better time.

“What’s up?” Natasha said in a still hushed tone.

“They think that they’ve found a cure for Bucky”

Natasha eyes slightly widened as her eyebrows flew up. Peggy took hold of Natasha’s hand and said with a light laugh “Are you alright?”

Natasha nodded “Yeah. I’m fine. I’ll be down in a minute, just going to go to the bathroom for a moment”

Peggy nodded and made her way back down to the labs. When they did. She was shocked as to what they saw. Bucky Barnes, out of the chamber. Awake. Hugging Steve. Bucky patted Steve’s back as he pulled away and turned to the doctors. Peggy rushed in to hear the doctors say.

“It cannot be described as anything other than a miracle. We thought it would take many _many_ more months to crack it” He put his hand on Bucky’s shoulder and added “You’re a lucky man, Sergeant Barnes”

Bucky nodded and gave a tight smile “Thank you, for all you’ve done”

Peggy made her way over. She smiled and wrapped her arms around Bucky’s neck and she hugged him tightly “I thought it would have been a long time before I saw this face smiling again”

“I thought it’d be a while too” Bucky admitted with a stiff laugh as he pulled away “What’d I miss?”

“Well. I’m pregnant again” Peggy smirked, raising an eyebrow to him. Bucky’s jaw dropped, he looked to Steve “You sly dog”

Steve laughed and slapped Bucky’s back, he shrugged and took his eyes to Peggy “It was unexpected”

“I bet” Bucky muttered with a smirk “Anyway congratulations. Hopefully I’ll be here for the birth of this one”

“Yes you will” Steve nodded, patting Bucky’s back. They then heard the door behind them open. Bucky looked up and saw Natasha slowly walk in the room, with an uncertain look on her face. You could tell she was nervous Which was a rare thing seeing Natasha Romanoff get nervous. She only gets nervous when she truly cares. Bucky slid his way past Steve and Peggy and walked towards her.

They didn’t say anything at first, he just wrapped his arm around her and held onto her tightly. Natasha glanced over and saw people looking at them.. But surprisingly she didn’t care. Natasha gripped onto his back and held onto him tightly. She had waited thirteen years to see him again, forgive her for becoming slightly overwhelmed. Bucky kept slipping through her fingers. Bucky held in a deep breath as his eyes tightened, nuzzling his chin in her crook of her neck once again. After a moment, they pulled apart and latched to each other’s eyes, Bucky let out a soft smile “Hi”

Natasha stared at him and then said in a whisper “Hi”

* * *

After a while in catching up. Bucky had to run through some things with the doctors before he could run free in the compound. They asked for space, so Steve, Peggy and Natasha gave it them. Natasha went outside to talk to T’Challa. Whilst Steve and Peggy returned to their room. With Grace still in hers asleep, they made time for each other.

Peggy sat on Steve’s lap on the bed, facing him with her legs wrapped around his waist. Peggy swept her hair off of her right shoulder and rested her arms on his shoulders, she put her finger under his chin and slowly pulled his lips to hers. Letting out a soft moan as they did. Her fingers ran through the back of his head and gripped onto to his hair. Peggy heard him let out a muffled groan as he gripped harder. Peggy light giggled as whispered as she pulled her lips away by barely an inch “Easy tiger”

Steve laugh and took her lips back onto his as he put his hand on the back of her head.

“Mommy!” Grace called from the room next to theirs. Steve and Peggy opened their eyes, Peggy looked up and let out a smirk which just said _typical._ Peggy pulled her head back as Steve sighed with the same smirk and rested his forehead on her chest. Then hearing their daughter call again “Mommy!”

Peggy kissed the top of his head and muttered “Well, we are going to have to deal with the fact we’ll be getting _double_ of this within a year”

Steve lay back as Peggy got off his lap and dryly joked “Good luck for our sex life”

Peggy rolled her eyes and said as she opened the door “It seemed to be doing alright last night and the night before that...and the night-”

“I got it” Steve laughed.

As Peggy attended to seeing Grace and Steve went in the bathroom. Natasha came back inside and walked back into the lap. Seeing Bucky sat back on the bed. She watched as the doctors brought over his new metal arm. It looked very much like his old one. But the doctors told him that it was made with vibranium this time and would almost impossible to break off.  As the mechanics team attended to putting the arm on. Bucky looked up and saw Natasha standing by the door, he smiled and nodded her to come over. Natasha took a deep breath and made her way over to him.

Getting his new arm on was quick and easy. They just jiggled it a little bit to make sure it was secure and left him to it. Now that he had this one he was free to finally leave the lab and actually have a life like the others. Natasha unfolded her arms and stood in front of him “Looks good”

“Yeah?”

“Metal suits you”

Bucky laughed and then looked to it “Makes me look like some kind of...modern _Frankenstein_ ”

Natasha raised her eyebrows for a brief moment and shook her head “You’re much more better looking than Frankenstein if that is any consolation”

“It is”

“Good”

Bucky looked back down to the arm once again and sighed “Still. Doesn’t make me feel any less of-”

“Stop, James” Natasha softly demanded, shaking her head again in a more gentle way. Bucky looked into her eyes she didn’t look away and said “I’ve been where you are now. Thinking that I as some kind of monster for the things I did. But you need to learn what I learned. And that is that the only person who thinks you’re a monster is yourself. No one blames you for what you were _forced_ to do”

“Even you?”

“Especially me”

Bucky let out a deep breath and briefly touched her arm before getting up off of the bed. Putting his shirt back on the two of them began to walk out of the lab. Trying to get onto a lighter note, Bucky said with a small laugh “So you and I are godparents then”

“Yeah. We’ve come far” Natasha muttered with a stiff laugh.

“I would’ve thought we were the last people to be given such a responsibility”

“Yeah well those two are just too sentimental” Natasha giggled as she crossed her arms.

“Where are they now?”

“When they aren’t _shagging_ as Peggy calls it, they’re with Grace” Natasha pointed up to where they would be. Natasha pushed the elevator button, as they waited. Natasha looked at him, with hesitation at first, she put her hand to his scruff bearded cheek and then to his hair. Bucky looked to her “What?”

Natasha took her hand away and looked to the opening doors “You seem older, even though you haven’t really aged”

“Yeah? Well you look different too. Cut your hair”

“I did” Natasha nodded, looking at him in the corner of her eye “And?”

Bucky smiled to her and muttered as he stepped inside the elevator “You look good”

Natasha bowed her head down and let out a smile before looking back up and rubbing her curled lips together, she remained silent as she stepped in the elevator and turned to the front, as the doors began to close she finally spoke “You look good too”

* * *

When Natasha and Bucky made it to Grace’s room, before they knocked, they looked through the slit of the slightly opened door and saw Steve and Peggy playing with Grace on the floor. Steve was lay on his back, holding Grace up in the air, bringing her down close to his face and giving her quick kisses as he did so before holding up high again.

“It’s like watching the _Brady Bunch_ ” Natasha whispered. Bucky looked at her oddly “What’s a Brady Bunch?”

Natasha let out an amused smirk “Never mind” she knocked on the door and pushed it open “Hey”

The three of them looked, Steve and Peggy grinned as they saw Bucky behind Natasha, looking the happiest he has looked in a long time. Grace caught her eyes to him and grinned “Uncle Bucky!” she practically fell out of Steve’s arm and raced over to him. Bucky smiled and was able to pick her up with _two_ hands. The two of them both walked into the room.

“How’re you doing?” Bucky asked with a light laugh. He had many younger cousins back in the day, he knew how to deal with kids.

“Good” Grace giggled “You have arm back!”

“Yeah I have arm back. Do you like it?”

“Yes! Suny!”

Bucky looked at her a little confused, he looked to Steve and Peggy who clarified in unison “ _Shiny_ ”

Bucky nodded “Ah”

Natasha and Bucky sat down on the floor as Grace insisted that they played with her. Steve and Peggy sat up against the wall and took a break. Steve wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head as he pulled her close “How’re you feeling baby?”

“Good. Better than good actually” Peggy softly smiled as she rested her hand on his stomach and her head against his chest, looking over to Natasha, Bucky and Grace “Seeing how great things have gone with Bucky has...restored my faith and hope in things getting better. The fact that we’re having another baby has even more so added to that” Peggy said with a light laugh as she looked up to him.

Steve smiled and kissed her softly, he held onto her tighter “You’re amazing, you know that? I’d have such a hard time dealing with all of this without you”

“You always say this. How hard it would be for you without me...but you know what Steve?”

“What?”

“Stop thinking that. Because you have me, you’ve always had me. Okay?”

Steve let out a soft laugh through his nose and nodded “Yes ma’am. You’re the boss”

“We’ll get through this, darling, we always do”

Steve linked their hands together, looking at her wedding ring, he then said in a gentle quiet tone “For better or worse”

Peggy softly smiled and nodded as she rested her hand back on his chest and looked to Natasha, Bucky and Grace “For better or worse”

It was in this moment. That they both felt that everything would turn out ago. Finally faith was restored within them both. Peggy felt safe again, she felt like everything will be okay again.

With the _love_ of her husband. The _comfort_ of her best friend. The _happiness_ of her daughter. And the _loyalty_ of the man who was a _brother_.

 

They were all going to be just fine. For now.

* * *

 

_****_ **Thanks for reading this story everyone! Thanks to all who have left lovely comments and kudos I had a lot of fun writing my own version of Civil War.**

 


	13. Chapter 13

_ 18 months later.  _

“Ey!” Steve called, then whistling to the 10 month old pup that ran in the field with a stick in his mouth “Come on boy!”

Steve then watched as his four year race after him on the field. Steve just leaned against the bottom of the porch and just watched them for a little bit. A smile growing on his bearded face. He could honestly watch them forever, he always thought that being part of the Avengers and being the Captain was what he needed out of life but he was wrong it was this right here. The sun was about to set and he was watching his little girl laugh and play with their dog. That he had to wear Peggy down in allowing him to get, she loved him really. The dog too.

“Steve” Peggy called, Steve stepped forward and turned around to see her stood at the back door, with their nine month old baby boy in her hands. She was softly rocking him side to side to keep him settled, she nodded to inside the house “You need to come in”

Steve turned his head to Grace “Grace, come on inside now”

“Daddy!” She whined.

“Come on honey, promise we’ll come back out later on” Steve said as he took a step to the stairs. He nodded his to inside again “Come on” he then called to the dog “Dodger come on! Grace make sure he comes inside”

Steve walked up the stairs onto the porch, walking over to Peggy as she kept her eyes on him, clearly wanting to say something “You okay?”

“Yeah, we’ve just got company”

Steve pinched his brows together and then followed her in the house. Nick did Steve one more favour, the same thing he did for Clint. Got them a house to hideaway. The same layout and everything, perhaps he has a range in farm houses. It was in North Carolina, much bigger. Talk about favoritism, and only a limited amount of people knew. They had never been happier. Grace had never been happier which was the most important thing. And their baby boy will grow up in a better environment than Grace did, which they wished they gave her. Though she does miss her extended family at times too.

Steve walked in the living room as Peggy went into the nursery to put the baby in his crib. He walked in to find Natasha, Sam, Bucky...and  _ Tony _ . Which surprised him, he hadn’t seen Tony in so long now.

They came to a compromise with Bucky, after pleading his innocence. With Natasha, Sam and T’Challa fighting his battle. They came down to the amnesty, he went to work for Tony, after they sat down and actually talked. It took a long time. Bucky had only been working with them for around two months. None of them had seen Steve or Peggy for that amount of time. They were in contact, sure. But never face to face. Besides it wasn’t Sam, Natasha and Bucky they were shocked to see. It was Tony.

“Tony...you’re here”

Tony looked down to his feet and nodded as he looked back to him “Apparently”

Peggy then came up to stand beside him. Tony looked to her and briefly raised her brows as he blew a small raspberry “Peggy, you look great considering you’ve got a new little screamer”

Peggy let out a breathless laugh and nodded “Thank you, Tony”

Steve looked to their three best friends, who just looked at him with a face that asked him to just wait and hear everything out. Steve shifted his eyes back to Tony and cleared his throat “Listen, Tony-”

“Everything you needed to say to me was said in that letter. With I was grateful for. I’ve mended things with your boy here. It’s fine, Steve. We’ve all made mistakes” 

Both Steve and Peggy gave him a soft smile. Then came in both Grace and Dodger. Dodger bolted straight for Natasha, whilst Grace gasped and grinned “Uncle Tony!”

Tony pinched his brows at her, clearly playing with her as he pointed to her “I’m sorry? I’m looking for Grace have you seen her?”

“It’s me!” She giggled. Tony dropped down to her level and squinted at her, which carried on her giggling. He then grinned “Holy cow, so it is” he held his arms out to her that she quickly jumped into. Tony smiled and closed his eyes as he wrapped his arms around her body and lightly rocked her “So happy to see my little buddy”

“Missed you, Uncle Tony”

“I’ve missed you too. Aunt Pepper sends her love, says she wants you to carry on being the boss of the house” Tony said as he pulled back and nodded to her “Think you can do that for her?”

“Yes!”

Peggy smiled and said as she put her hands on top of her daughter's soft blonde locks “I’m glad that you and Pepper worked things out”

“Yeah me too” Tony said as he stood back up “She’s stupid enough to give me a second chance”

“I’m fairly certain if there is one thing Pepper isn’t is stupid” Peggy smirked, rubbing his arm. After the brief catch up and warm moment. Tony slapped his hands together and looked to the two of them as Grace went over and got some fuss from Bucky, Natasha and Sam. Bucky lifted her in the air with a grin, his nose all scrunched up and kissed her cheek, then just holding her against his hip and listening to what Tony was about to say “So, we’re- _I’m_ not just here for a social visit”

Steve and Peggy looked to each other, Steve sighed and nodded “Kind of figured that”

“Look. Steve, Peggy. We need you. Not just us, I mean the whole damn world. You guys are the glue in all of them. Well _you_ are” Tony muttered as he looked to Peggy, who gave him a small amused smile. Tony then looked back to them both and got back to being serious “You’ve been gone for a year and a half and that shield is just lying there. I was wrong when I said it didn’t belong to you. It does”

Peggy looked to Steve, who took in a deep breath. She put her hand on his back and rubbed it. Steve pinched the bridge of his nose and rubbed his eyelids. In the end he just shook his head, dropping his head down he rubbed his lips together and shrugged “I’m sorry Tony. I can’t...I won’t. Not anymore”

Natasha sighed “But Steve-”

“It’s not our fight anymore. And I’m tired. We’re both tired” Steve sighed and he body rested more against Peggy’s, who’s face said it all. She was in total agreement, she gently placed her hand on his stomach and added “We have our children to think about, this fight made us realize that we cannot put them through it” he eyes shifted to Grace for a moment, who had her arms wrapped around Bucky’s neck as she said “We almost never saw one child again, we cannot do that again. Especially with Noah now being here”

Tony tutted under his breath and tucked his hands in his jean pockets “You said in that letter. You’d be here whenever I needed you”

“Yeah I did. But you don’t need me Tony, I’m not your Captain anymore”

“And I’m not your Director anymore” Peggy gently added, shaking her head “We’re sorry...but we’re happy here, we needed a sign to let us know when to step down...what happened last year was that sign”

Suddenly. Noah started crying in the other room. Steve gently kissed the top of her head and walked into the nursery to go and see him. Peggy looked to Bucky. Who knew that was coming but was still hopeful they’d change their mind. The four of them understood though. They just couldn’t come to terms that this was the end of Director Carter and Captain America. Bucky gently put Grace down and followed Steve to talk. Peggy crossed her arms and sighed, she looked down to her feet for a moment and said “I...I recently got in contact with Hill. I’ve offered her my job with immediate effect. You’ll be taking orders from her now”

Bucky walked in the nursery, looking at the paintings of children’s characters that Steve had painted. He forgot how good he was, Bucky picked up one of the teddy bears that was on the side and held onto it as he walked towards Steve who was giving Noah his bottle. Bucky took a breath and leaned against the drawers “You sure? Really?”

Steve looked to Bucky and just gave him a firm nod “I’m done” he looked back down to his son, who had his eyes closed but was still taking in the milk from the bottle, he let out a small smile and shook his head “I can never go back, I can’t even imagine leaving here”

“But can’t just be it for...him”

“Who?”

“Captain America. That suit, that shield. He can't just go away”

Steve looked to him and then took a breath, then nodded and said “Then you be him”

“What?” Bucky said with a light laugh “Me?”

Steve shrugged “You and Sam? Who’s to say there can’t be two? Both get a shield”

“Steve come on get real” Bucky said, putting the bear back on the side and looking back to Steve as he said “I am being serious. You and Sam can fight just as well as me. Instead of just working for Tony work with him. Take my place, carry the torch”

Bucky seriously began to consider it. What Steve was saying actually made some sense. Why couldn’t he take his place? In fact it all seemed kind of perfect, Steve would retire to be a dad and husband. He wouldn’t be abandoning it. He would just be handing it over. Steve smiled to him and then lightly kissed his son’s forehead “Trust me Buck, I know I’m doing the right thing. And Tony seems to be alright with you now, Nat will certainly back you”

Bucky blushed and smiled as he crossed his arms “So... _ if _ I did go for this, you’re giving me the green light”

“Buck I’ve made the green light for you” Steve laughed, he then put the bottle back on the side and held Noah against his chest with both hands “Just gotta promise me one thing though”

Bucky raised his brows “Hm?”

“Keep the outfit” Steve smiled. 

* * *

Whilst Natasha was gushing over her new godson in her arms whilst Grace sat next to her and was chatting away to Tony. Bucky was messing around with Dodger. 

Steve was getting himself a glass of water, where he felt Peggy’s arms wrap around his waist and kiss his back “I’m proud of you”

Steve turned himself around, with Peggy still having her arms wrapped around him, she rested her chin on his chest and looked up to him “I know it’s hard turning that life down”

“No...it’s not. I thought it would be, but now that I’m in the moment. Now that the offer was staring at my right in the face...it wasn’t hard to turn it down” Steve gently put his palms to her cheeks and softly smiled “You’re my life. Our family is our life. And that is what I can't live without, not a shield or a uniform”

Peggy smiled and said in a delighted sigh as she rubbed his back “Steve Rogers you are the complete love of my life” she took her overwhelmed smile and pressed her lips against his. Loosely wrapping her arms around his neck. Running her fingers through the back of his hair. Steve tightened his arms around her waist, pressing their bodies closer together.

Steve pulled his lips away and whispered “You’re everything to me...and for the record I know it wasn’t exactly easy for you either to turn it down. No matter what you say, you’d miss it too”

“I can’t fool you” Peggy muttered with a smile as she looked to his lips and then back to his eyes, still stroking his hair “It was a difficult decision. But it’s like you said. You and our family are my life, so it wasn’t as hard as it was anticipated to be”

“I told Bucky and Sam to take my place...carry on the Captain America legacy I guess”

Peggy looked at him, surprised, but glad to hear that “Sweetheart that’s marvelous! A brilliant idea”

“You think?”

“Yes. Good thinking”

“You don’t have to sound so surprised” Steve laughed, the getting the same action out of her. Peggy shook her head through her giggles “Sorry. The person who usually with those sort of ideas is...well me” she flashed him a grin.

“True” Steve muttered with a smirk, kissing her again. Peggy then had Dodger jump up and hit her leg with made her lose her balance for a split second. She glared down to the pup but then noticed he had a chew dog in his mouth, she then looked to Bucky who sat on the floor with an innocent grin from hitting her leg with Dodger’s toy. Peggy raised her brows to him and then ran her fingers through the pups hair as if to let him know it was okay. He then just went off back to Bucky and resumed playing. Peggy looked back to Steve and muttered as she took her lips back to his “That bloody dog”

“You love that bloody dog. Unless those lipstick kisses all over his face the other day were from Grace”

Peggy pursed her lips and cleared her throat, she shook her head and sighed “Shut up”

He laughed and kissed her again, gripping firmly onto her waist and keeping her close. 

Grace leaned to Tony and Sam and said quietly “Mommy and daddy do that a lot”

The pair of them both nodded to her as Tony said “Believe me, we know” Tony leaned back and muttered under his breath “Felt like we were gonna see you conceived a few times”

Luckily Grace didn’t hear him, even if she did. She wouldn’t have known what he meant, though Sam found it funny.

* * *

Natasha and Peggy soon went outside. Peggy having Noah sleeping in her arms, they sat at the porch swing, the sun still setting. The sky was orange which was Peggy’s favourite, she found it very peaceful to look at. Apparently so did her son, Natasha lightly rocked the bench back and forth with the foot and then said to Peggy “Are you sure this what you want?”

Peggy smiled, taking her eyes to Natasha “What do you think? I have my husband, my children and that bloody dog running around. We don’t even have to work anymore, Nick has given us this as a solid bargain with this house. We can both be here full time and be with them every part of the day...and when the time comes, Grace can go to a normal school and have a normal life”

Natasha remained silent for a moment, she then scoffed “Well, when you put it like that”  

Peggy let out a small laugh with her lips against the baby’s head and then said “You just don’t want us to this because you’ll be missing me giving you marching orders. But believe me, love, I’ll still be giving you them. Just about different things, like what to bring and what not to bring when you come and visit”

“I look forward to that. You seen Sharon?”

“Yeah she’s still working things out but she’ll be fine, drops in whenever she can”

They suddenly heard Grace run on the porch and stop in front of them “Mommy! Daddy said we can go to the lake tomorrow! Can we can we?!”

Peggy squinted her eyes to him “Did daddy ask you to ask me because he knows I can’t say no to you?”

Grace waited in thought for a moment and then just nodded “He said you like me better”

Peggy let out a breathless laugh and nodded, patting Noah’s back to keep him settled “Alright, darling, we can go”

Grace shot Natasha an excited smile, who exchanged the same expression, then ran inside. Peggy and Natasha then heard her say “Daddy! Mommy said yes” then to hear the sound of a high five.

Peggy rolled her eyes and then heard Natasha say “Where the hell is there a lake? You guys are pretty secluded”

“South-port is only a fifteen minute drive from here, it's not a lake it's a harbor. And to be fair it is lovely, it’s just...Steve really tries to act like a local”

Natasha then let out a fit of giggles and said in the midst of it, motioning to her cheeks “Is that why he has the beard? So people won’t know who he is”

Peggy laughed “It wouldn’t surprise me”

Natasha settled a warm, fuzzy smile when the laughter died down and just looked to Peggy for a moment, watching as she was looking out to the sky, kissing Noah’s head “I’ve never seen you this happy”

Peggy looked to Natasha as she nodded and added on “It’s nice”

“You’ll get it too eventually no doubt” Peggy said, glancing to Bucky through the window. But didn’t comment any further. Whatever happens between them two happens. To be honest, Peggy doesn’t even think that Natasha and Bucky have figured it out. He’s been concentrating on getting his life truly settled and she’s been helping him. But things certainly seemed to be falling into place for the two of them, which settled Peggy’s worry about her. Peggy rested Noah in one of her arms as she put her other hand on Natasha’s leg and assured you “You know, no matter where I am. I’ll always be here for you”

“I know” Natasha slapped her hand on Peggy’s “Same here”

“Besides. New York is only an hour and a half away. It’s hardly as if we are on the other side of the country or the world”

“You raise a fair point on all accounts, Carter” Natasha muttered with a smirk. Peggy the looked through the window again and said “I’m happy to see that Tony is doing so well, he and Pepper worked things out. He forgave Bucky and they actually seem to get on, on an okay level”

“They do actually get along, bit like the way Steve and Tony were. There’s still some small tension, not in a bad way or anything but it’s just there y’know?”

“It’s bound to be, Tony was in his right to react the way he did...it’s just...it wasn’t  _ Bucky’s  _ fault”

“Yeah he’s comes to terms with that which is the main thing” Natasha nodded.

Peggy then too nodded. That was the main thing that mattered, Tony found inner peace with everything. It proved how much of the bigger person he really was to accept what had happened, forgive and move on. Peggy took in a deep breath and sighed out “It is a very surreal feeling though, I must admit”

“What?”

“Knowing that it’s over. I’ve been an agent for...putting aside the time travel years. Fourteen years. Director for what? Nine? It has been everything that I’ve put my blood sweat and tears into, it just feels odd knowing that it’s all over... _ but _ I’m excited for this new part of my life, of our lives”

“Good. You should be” Natasha put her hand on the baby’s back and gently stroked it with the back of her finger “Because this part of life seems pretty damn great”

“Yes” Peggy held Noah up in both hands for his head to be at level with hers and smiled softly “Yes it is” she brought him to her and kissed his nose.

* * *

Steve took Tony to the side, he took in a deep breath, with his palms pressed together “Tony, listen I-”

“Steve, you don’t have to say anything to me”

“Yes I do because I went too far” Steve quickly said, holding his hands up for a moment, he nodded and then echoed his own words “I went too far. I know this...and I am truly sorry, I said to you that the reason I did all this was because Bucky was my friend but you were right, so are you. You’ve been a good friend to me, Tony over these past years and even though we clashed and lot, had our differences, you were still my friend and I’m sorry I let things get so outta hand”

“You panicked. Not just for your friend but for your wife and for you kid. I can’t blame you for that, we’ve both come to terms with what happened over these past eighteen months, I forgive you and hopefully you can forgive me”

“For what?”

“I didn’t hear you out either Steve, not near the end of it all” Tony shrugged, taking his hands out of his pockets “Both of us had our points, both valid and both of us made mistakes. We move forward, yes?”

“Yeah, that’s what I want” Steve nodded. Tony then doing the same, after a small silence. Tony squinted his eyes as he looked to him and shrugged “So what now, a hug? I feel like we don’t hug”

Steve laughed and held his hand out to Tony, which Tony slapped his into and shook. Steve then pulled him close and slapped his other hand on Tony’s back. Just for a brief moment. But it helped finally build that bridge.

“It all worked out in the end though when you really think about it. You’ve got a snazzy house out of it and worked things out with everyone” Tony raised his brows to him.

“Yeah. Suppose there’s nothing like a good family feud to bring everyone together”

* * *

When it got dark, Tony, Sam, Bucky and Natasha went to their jet that they had in the middle of the field, it was fine, there was no one around to even see it. Steve and Peggy promised to visit them too when they were really give the green light to step foot near the Avengers base. 

Up until that, the four of them said that they wouldn’t be strangers. Steve and Peggy would  _ get  _ visitors rather than  _ be  _ the visitors for a little while. Steve and Peggy waved them off from their porch, Grace being held up in Steve’s arms. Noah was tucked up in his crib, officially and  _ hopefully  _ down for the night. Steve looked to Grace “That was a nice surprise huh? Your Aunt and Uncles coming to see us?”

“Yeah!” she exclaimed. Making her parents grin. Steve put his hand on her stomach and gave her a playful shake “Well, missus, let’s get you to bed”

“Daddy”

Peggy shook her head with her arms folded “No, Gracie. No  _ daddy _ , you’ve already gone past your bedtime. The quicker you get to bed, the sooner tomorrow will come and remember we are going to the lake tomorrow”

Grace gasped as she suddenly remembered. Peggy let out a small laugh and nodded “Yes, so get to be little miss” she kissed her daughter’s cheek and added “I love you”

“Love you mommy”

Peggy put her hand on Steve’s back and rubbed it as he walked into the house. Peggy turned her head to see Dodger jumping in the air as he tried to catch one of the fireflies in his mouth, she clapped her hands together and whistled to him “Dodger, come on”

Dodger stopped jumping and looked to her, Peggy smiled and crouched down, holding her hands out and slapping her legs to encourage him, then speaking to him like she speaks to her children “Come on, sweetie, come on”

Dodger came bouncing over, Peggy shook the fur all over his face and kissed the top of his head. Damn it, once again she left a kiss mark on his head “Crap” she tried to rub it, which he liked but it just made it worse and more smudged “He’s going to get another kick out of this”

Peggy stood back up straight and walked back into the house with the dog behind her, shutting the door behind her. Steve walked back into the living room after tucking Grace to bed and raised his brows as Dodger came in front of him, a gracious laugh then forced it’s way out of his mouth. He’d want to hold it in but he couldn’t. Peggy pointed to him “Stop it”

Steve carried his laughs back over to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of wine whilst Peggy put the fire on. He sat himself down on the sofa, arm resting on the spine of the couch after pouring the red wine. Peggy grabbed the blanket that was on the floor and pulled it over the two of them, she tucked her feet under her legs, resting her body against his. Being all snug. Steve wrapped his arm around her and rubbed her back “That went easier than I thought”

“They couldn’t have put up some big fight, could they? We weren’t going to change our minds” Peggy said as she nuzzled her head against his chest “And I think they knew that”

“Good of Tony to come”

“It was, probably took a lot for him to come but it’s been long enough, what happened isn’t as raw” Peggy said, then drawing on his chest with her finger. She looked up to him and softly smiled “He’s finally found peace...and so have we”

Steve pressed his lips against hers, her hand went to his jaw and pulled his face even closer together, their tongues gently brushing together, she let out a pleased sound and then slowly dragged her lips away, Steve looked into her warm brown eyes “You ever thought we’d get here?”

“By get here do you mean living in the year 2018 with our two children, in a cosy farm house secluded from the world and job we knew? Not even for a second”

Steve let out a small huffed laugh, pressing his lips against her forehead “God, y’know I thought getting accepted into the army was the only good thing in my life and it was because it led me to you and you…” he smiled and shook his head “You are the greatest thing in my life”

“Steve-”

“No. When I woke up in this world all those years ago and I thought even for that second that I had lost you I...well I just couldn't even imagine what I would be like if I had to go through all of this without you being here by my side. You’re my soul. Not just my soulmate but you are my  _ soul _ ”

Peggy smiled and then slapped his chest for making her eyes fill up, she wiped her tears and laughed at herself “You always do this”

“Sorry”

“No it’s one of the reasons I married you actually, it’s like you vomit poetry” Peggy said as she wiped her eyes, Steve looking at her with a grossed out face. She rolled her eyes and confessed “It sounded better in my head”

“Mm hm” Steve nodded with a teasing smirk, Peggy looked to the fire whilst he just stared at her “Baby are you happy here, honest?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” she asked as she looked to him, her hand running through the fur of Dodger as he came up and lay beside her. Steve shrugged “I dunno. I mean none of this was part of the plan”

Peggy raised her brows for a moment as she agreed and shook her head to his point “No. It wasn’t part of the plan. But it is so much better, better than I could ever have anticipated”

He smiled to her, feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. Gently nodded, he whispered “Me too”

“Everything else will fall into place soon enough regarding being able to one day step foot near the Avengers base, to step foot in New York again without being arrested” she laughed, then softly bit her lip “But I'm not complaining, nor do I really want that part to hurry up, because I am so happy here. In this  _ bubble _ ”

“I know what you mean, we didn't know how much we needed  _ this _ until we got it”

Peggy leaned forward and grabbed their glasses of wine, handing one to him “I'll drink to that”

Steve lightly laughed and clinked his glass his hers. Peggy brows gently pinched together, shaking her head and then saying as she moved the glass to her lips “I love you”

Steve took a sip of his wine, took hold of her hand and kissed the back of it, still holding onto it “I love you”

Peggy was right, although they were going to miss their life, the life they had lived for so long now. All that mattered was being here. Back in 42’ they never thought they would actually get married, settle down and have two beautiful children. They  _ hoped  _ and  _ dreamed  _ but there was a big difference in it actually happening.

If it took fighting another war to get them where they were at now, well, dare they say it was worth it.

* * *

**I recently felt unsatisfied with the way I ended this fic so I have written this finale in giving them the ending that I find the nicest way for them so I hope you enjoyed this very last chapter!**

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed this chapter, leave kudos or a comment if you did!


End file.
